Enmax's new $240M downtown substation now powers half of Calgary's core
The 35,000-square-foot No. 1 Substation at 830 9th Avenue S.W. replaced a century-old facility and serves roughly 20,000 customers across downtown offices and residential high-rises.
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Calgary's newest electrical substation opened this summer as the city's largest transmission and distribution infrastructure project to date, replacing a century-old facility that powered downtown since 1912.
Enmax's $240-million No. 1 Substation, a 35,000-square-foot facility at 830 9th Avenue S.W., first became electrified in early July and now flows power to roughly 20,000 customers in Calgary's core. One "customer" designation often represents an entire downtown skyscraper, meaning the facility benefits well over 20,000 people.
The original No. 1 substation, located just across the street, was first electrified in 1912 to provide power to downtown's first streetlights and streetcar system. Upgrades in the 1960s and 1970s extended its service life more than 100 years before the new facility took over.
Substations act as a bridge between high-voltage transmission lines and lower-voltage distribution networks. The new facility receives electricity from transmission lines and transforms it to safer, practical voltages before sending it through 24 medium-voltage distribution lines across downtown. That power then steps down again at transformers on poles and in alleys before entering homes and offices.
"Folks are asking the electricity grid to do more and substations really provide the backbone," Enmax Power VP Adam DeLong, who also serves as manager of substations and a power systems electrician, explained during an August 14 tour. The new substation handles up to roughly 200 megavolts when Calgary's electricity demand peaks in summer but is designed to accommodate a load of up to 250 megavolts.
Enmax received Alberta Utilities Commission approval for the project in 2021. The original AUC approval required construction to be completed by October 31, 2025, a deadline the company met.
Enmax operates more than 40 substations across Calgary. The company noted the new facility has drawn interest from other municipalities—BC Hydro visited to study the design as it plans a similar facility for downtown Vancouver. The downtown core is served by three Enmax substation facilities, with the new No. 1 Substation providing electricity to half the central business district.
The facts
When did Enmax's new No. 1 Substation become operational?
Enmax's No. 1 Substation at 830 9th Avenue S.W. first became electrified in early July 2026.
How many customers does the new substation serve?
The new No. 1 Substation serves roughly 20,000 customers across downtown Calgary, though each customer designation often represents an entire office tower or residential high-rise, meaning the facility benefits well over 20,000 people.
What was the cost of building the new substation?
Enmax's new No. 1 Substation cost $240 million to build.
When was the original substation first electrified?
The original No. 1 Substation, located across the street from the new facility, was first electrified in 1912 to power downtown Calgary's first streetlights and streetcar system.
