While most of Ontario's electricity needs are expected to remain stable over the coming 18 months, that's not the case in Windsor-Essex.
The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is out with a look forward at the provinces needs for the next year and a half.
The only significant outlier is an expected spike in demand for electricity, mainly in the Leamington Kingsville region.
"The greenhouses as you look at some of the cannabis facilities and you see them expanding both in terms of number and hours of operation if you will," says IESO Vice President Terry Young. "We're certainly seeing a growth in demand over the next five years."
Young says they've begun to assess the need to upgrade infrastructure.
"We're starting to look at options and we're starting to look at what ability there is to meet that demand to bring in power from other areas, to see whether there's other options within the community itself to do this," he says. "So it's something that we and the community are actively engaged in right now."
According to Young, consultations are happening now with the growers, producers, municipal leaders and the broader community to determine how much of an upgrade is needed.
He expects a decision to be made in the new year as to whether additional feeder lines or other upgrades are needed.