Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has selected the Napanee BESS joint venture to build a 250-MW/1,000-MWh battery energy storage project within the Canadian province.
The Napanee BESS JV partnership is made up of U.S.-based developer Ameresco and Atura Power, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation. The 20-year capacity agreement includes a minority ownership interest by Ameresco, which also is providing engineering and construction expertise under a separate contract.
“In partnership with Atura Power, we are honored that our JV has been selected by the IESO for this battery energy storage system installation, one of the largest in Canadian history,” Lou Maltezos, executive vice president of Ameresco, said in a statement. “This project is designed to significantly bolster the province’s energy security and reliability, ushering Canada into a greener, more sustainable age.”
The IESO expects that overall energy storage capacity in Ontario will quintuple and grow to at least 1,217 MW in its market by 2026.
Ontario Power Generation created Atura Power to run the company’s fleet of four combined cycle gas turbine power plants. Atura is also investing in alternative energy projects such as green hydrogen and utility-scale battery storage.
The joint venture partners claim that this Napanee award by the IESO is among the largest BESS projects in Canada’s energy transition so far.
Last month, Northland Power closed on funding for its planned Oneida Energy Storage Project in Ontario. The company is developing the 250 MW/1,000 MWh project in partnership with Aecon Group, NRStor, and Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation.
Ameresco, which is headquartered in Massachusetts, has developed several battery energy storage projects, including working with IESO to design and build two BESS on Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution Ltd's distribution grid (pictured above).