On January 4th, a Hydro One transformer at Seaforth Transmission Station in Huron East failed.
As a result, mineral oil was released in the creek. Hydro One dispatched their environmental emergency response team to assess the area and do clean up.
Reegan Price, Manager of Facilities at the Seaforth Golf Course, where the spill runs through, tells myFM this won’t affect their 2023 season and there’s not predicted lasting effects.
When myFM spoke to Hydro One and they would not take any interviews, but did give a statement, it reads as follows:
“On January 4, one of our transformers at Seaforth Transmission Station in Huron East County failed, resulting in insulating mineral oil being released. We immediately dispatched our environmental emergency response team to assess the area and begin cleanup efforts. We have also engaged the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, the Municipality of East Huron, and Environment Canada on our response.
Hydro One takes its responsibility to the environment and the local community very seriously. Our goal, when responding to spills, is to prevent or mitigate potential impacts on the environment and to minimize customer service interruptions. In 2021, we successfully recovered 97 per cent of the liquid materials that were spilled. ”
Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan tells myFM the Municipality was notified as soon as it was found.
MacLellan says the creek isn’t being used by the public so there wasn’t a threat to notify anyone.
The Municipality wasn’t given a timeline of when the cleanup will be finished, but they expect it to be done soon. MacLellan says they are also taking samples from the bottom of the creek to test for any contamination, but no lasting effects are thought to come of the spill.
Price says he was one of the first people to notify the Municipality.
He says the Municipality was out within the hour to check and get clean up on the way. Hydro One has told Price that if any damage is caused by the spill, they will flip the bill.
UPDATE:
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has shared with myFM that on January 4th, the ministry’s Spills Action Centre got a report from Hydro One about the spill. About 3000 litres of mineral oil spilled onto the ground and into a stormwater retention pond at the Seaforth transformer station.
The following day, Hydro One reported a sheen in the Bayfield River. An open drain in the retention pond allowed an unknown amount of mineral oil to spill into the municipal drain system.
The ministry has told myFM they have been watching the situation closely and are assessing any potential impacts to the environment.
At this point, there is no impact to residents. The ministry will review the incident with Hydro One and the municipality to determine if there is a need for additional containment.