DeCew Falls Generating Station No. 2 - 1943



The powerhouse.
 


Concrete penstocks of the DeCew Falls Generating Plant.
 


 


 

General Information

DeCew Falls Generating Plant 1, adjacent to this station, is the oldest continually running hydroelectric power station in Canada.

A second phase of the plant, DeCew Falls Generating Plant 2, was initiated in 1943 to aid in the war effort. It was completed in 1947. Lakes Moodie and Gibson were expanded still further, and Twelve Mile Creek was dredged, widened, and straightened all the way to Lake Ontario.

The old red brick power house contained the original DeCew 1 generators. Adjacent are the newer transformer buildings and powerhouses of DeCew 2.


Hours of Operation

Not open to the public, but visible from the Bruce Trail and Power Glen / Tailrace Road.

Directions

Lookout from Tailrace Road at bottom of Power Glen:

From Toronto, QEW (Niagara) to Glendale Ave. Exit

Right on Glendale across 12 Mile Creek to Pelham Street

Left on Pelham Street to Power Glen Road

Left on Power Glen Road until you see an Ontario Power Generation sign indicating a right turn into the DeCew Falls Generating Station complex at Tailrace Road (the street name may be unmarked).

Travel south on this dead-end road as far as the gates of the DeCew Falls Generating Station.

Through the fence at the bottom of Tailrace Road, you can see the old red brick Power House which housed the original generators. Further right are the newer transformer buildings and powerhouses of DeCew II.

Please be careful not to block access or to trespass on power plant property!

Lookout from the Bruce Trail by Lake Moodie to see headworks:

From Toronto, QEW exit 49 to Hwy 406 and drive about 11 km

Right on St. Davids Road West

Left on Merrittville Hwy at the second stop light and drive about 1 km

Right on DeCew Road at lights, just before Lake Gibson and drive about 2 km

Right into the Morningstar Mill's little parking lot beside the Beaverdams Creek mill pond

If you come to the three way stop at Cataract Road you have gone too far

From the Morningstar Mill parking lot walk eastwards on the Bruce Trail following the Niagara Escarpment

The lookout is at a turn-around point on top of the escarpment.

Further Information

Ownership & Management

Ontario Power Generation
The Niagara Plant Group

Contact

Website: http://www.opg.com/power/hydro/niagara_plant_group/decew2.asp

Address

DeCew Falls Generating Station No. 2
15 Lockhart Drive
St. Catharines, Ontario
L2T 4C6

GPS Co-ordinates

Latitude: 43.118474003
Longitude: -79.2645259787
UTM easting: 641185
UTM northing: 4775433

Map

Administration

DeCew Falls Generating Station No. 2


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