Our Island Electricity
Maritime Electric supplies electricity to customers across Prince Edward Island. This electricity is mainly purchased from off-Island sources and supplied via two submarine transmission cables under the Northumberland Strait. Maritime Electric also purchases up to 52 Megawatts (MW) of wind generation from Prince Edward Island’s North Cape and Eastern Kings Wind Farms. There are approximately 5000 kilometres of power lines on Prince Edward Island with 4400 for distribution and 600 for transmission.
Maritime Electric also owns and operates two electrical generating stations on the Island. The Charlottetown Thermal Generating Station, located on the Charlottetown waterfront has five fossil fuel fired units with a combined capacity of 62MW as well as a diesel fired combustion turbine with a capacity of 50MW. The Borden Generating Station, located in Borden-Carleton, has two diesel fired combustion turbines with a combined capacity of 42MW.
These generating stations are kept on standby for backup mode and put into operation when the energy supply from off-Island sources is interrupted, during times of peak loading such as in the winter months and July and August, and when more economical than external purchases.
Electricity Powers your Life and Arrives at your Home
Electricity powers our life in home, work and leisure. We supply power for you when you need it.
The following diagram illustrates how this vital source of energy arrives to your home:
Maritime Electric’s electricity travels in a ‘circuit’ that begins at generating stations on and off the island.
The electricity is then distributed at 138,000 and 69,000 volts, and travels along a network of high-voltage transmission lines to substations situated across PEI. These substations reduce electricity voltage so that it can travel on small overhead or underground power lines, carrying electricity to transformers (on poles or on the ground) where the voltage is reduced again to deliver electrical power safely and efficiently to your home.
When you turn on an appliance or flip a light switch on in your home the electricity circuit is completed and the electricity is ready for you to use.
