The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday, Aug. 10, edition that as expansion plans for North America's electrical grid progress, power transformers have become increasingly difficult to obtain. The Globe's Brad Wheeler writes that manufacturers are racing to expand. Hitachi Energy, based in Switzerland, has purchased land next to its transformer plant in Varennes, Que., and is beginning an expansion to triple its output. Meanwhile, a plant in Candiac, Que., is being upgraded to double its production of steel utility towers. Stella-Jones, a leading manufacturer of wood utility poles, purchased the plant last year. It's scheduled to resume production in August. Dreams of an electrified future require transformers, switch gears, poles, towers and power lines in vast quantities. Canada's ability, however, to manufacture many of these items is limited. More than half of the equipment purchased by Canadian utilities originates from the United States, despite ongoing trade tensions. The U.S. federal energy department has noted its own lack of manufacturing capacity for grid transformers and components. Ottawa hopes that by mid-century Canada will carry twice as much electricity as it does today.