Governments of Canada and Ontario Working Together to Build Largest Electricity Battery Storage Project in Canada

OHSWEKEN – The governments of Canada and Ontario are working together to build the largest battery storage project in in the country. The 250-megawatt (MW) Oneida Energy storage project is being developed in partnership with the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation, Northland Power, NRStor and Aecon Group. The federal government is today providing a further $50 million in funding; the Canada Infrastructure Bank has played a key role supporting project development and is collaborating with the Oneida Energy storage project on an investment agreement. This project is another milestone in Canada and Ontario’s plans to build the reliable and affordable clean electricity grid that will help to power the future of Ontario’s economy.

“When our two governments work together, in partnership with Indigenous communities, we can help to build a stronger economy and a more sustainable province,” said the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. “With this new federal investment—and significant support from the Canada Infrastructure Bank—this project will help make electricity more affordable for Ontario families, and play an important role in building the clean electrical grid that Ontario will count on for generations to come.”

Ontario has directed the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to enter into a 20-year contract for the Oneida Energy storage project to support the growth of the province’s clean energy supply.

“I’m thrilled to see so many great partners come together to build this world-class project that will provide affordable, clean energy for generations to come,” said Premier Doug Ford. “With a growing population and as we secure game-changing investments in our economy, our government is supporting innovative and bold energy solutions to meet the increasing demand for power, including battery storage and small modular reactors.”

The Oneida Energy storage project will support the operation of Ontario’s clean electricity grid by drawing and storing electricity off-peak when power demand is low, and returning the power to the system at times of higher electricity demand. The project will begin operations in 2025 and provide enough power to meet the peak demand of a city the size of Oshawa. It will more than double the amount of energy storage resources on Ontario’s clean electricity grid from approximately 225 MW today to approximately 475 MW upon its completion in 2025.

“The Government of Canada is pleased to collaborate with partners to unlock the energy storage solutions needed to store clean energy while meeting increasing electricity demands,” said Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson. “The Oneida Energy storage project represents a significant Indigenous-led development that will create good jobs for Canadians while reducing emissions. The Government of Canada is pleased to invest $50 million in building this project with Indigenous partners – resulting in one of the world’s largest battery storage projects. I would like to congratulate all of those involved.”

The Oneida Energy storage project is in addition to actions already taken by the federal and provincial governments plan to meet emerging energy needs and ensure a reliable, affordable and clean electricity supply. These actions include setting up a Canada-Ontario Regional Energy and Resource Table, as well as:

• From the Government of Canada:
  • Investing more than $1.5 billion in the Smart Renewables and Electrification Program to expand and decarbonize Canada’s grid;
  • The Canada Infrastucture Bank is investing $970 million to build Canada’s first grid-scale Small Modular Reactor (SMR) at OPG’s Darlington site;
  • Investing $3.8 billion in Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy, to enable the deployment of renewable energy technologies across Canada; and,
  • Rolling out the Canada Greener Homes Grant program, which has helped over 40,000 Canadian households save on home energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient.
• From the Government of Ontario:
  • Procuring 4,000 MW of new electricity generation and storage resources, which includes the largest planned procurement of clean energy storage in Canada’s history.
  • Rolling out $342 million in new and enhanced energy efficiency programs while helping families and businesses reduce their electricity use so they can save money on their energy bills.
  • Supporting Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) continued safe operation of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station and tasking OPG to update their refurbishment feasibility assessment for the station.
  • Building Canada’s first grid-scale small modular reactor (SMR) at OPG’s Darlington site.
  • Directing the IESO to recontract clean generation at certain existing forest biomass facilities and hydroelectric facilities.
  • Conducting a successful medium-term request for proposals to recontract existing resources at about 30 per cent discount, keeping costs down for ratepayers.

“The Oneida Energy storage project is a great example of what can be accomplished through strong and meaningful partnership with Indigenous communities,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. “This project, part of our government's larger plan for the decade to grow our reliable, affordable and clean electricity system, will ensure that we have the electricity we need to support our success in driving electrification and attracting new jobs to the province including unprecedented investments, from electric vehicles and battery manufacturing to clean steelmaking.”

Quick Facts

Quotes

"This project is an example of what is possible when private and public companies, multiple levels of government, and their agencies work alongside a progressive Indigenous partner in pursuit of innovative solutions. As with all our development efforts, we have studied the project to ensure it aligns with our community values, we are confident the outcome will create ratepayer savings, and move us closer to a Net Zero future for our coming generations."
- Matt Jamieson
President & CEO, Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation

"We are pleased to see this project move ahead with the support of the Ontario government. Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation’s involvement in The Oneida Energy Storage Project signals the importance of Indigenous participation in clean energy initiatives as we continue to combat climate change. This project will generate employment opportunities and significant revenue for our community, and we look forward to its completion."
- Mark Hill
Elected Chief, Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation

"We are thrilled to reach this milestone for the Oneida Energy Storage project and are grateful for the support of the Government of Ontario, as well as the contributions of many stakeholders that make this project a truly collaborative one. We are eager to continue moving this project forward, alongside our partners Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation, Northland Power, Aecon, and Tesla, and with the support of the Canada Infrastructure Bank and NRCan, as a sustainable, innovative solution that will benefit the environment, ratepayers, and our economy."
- Annette Verschuren
Chair & CEO, NRStor Inc.

"The Oneida Energy Storage Project is a milestone for Ontario’s burgeoning energy storage sector. It will make the province’s electricity grid more efficient, stable and reliable. For Northland, this project marks our first storage investment. We recognize the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada for their continued support of energy storage initiatives. Finally, we look forward to continuing to work in partnership with NRStor and the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation without whom this project would not have been possible."
- Mike Crawley
President & CEO, Northland Power Inc.

"As a leader in the energy transition, we look forward to working with our partners to deliver this sustainable project that will improve electricity management during peak demand, reduce GHG emissions, and support economic development and long-term partnerships with Indigenous communities – creating energy savings to meet the needs of future generations."
- Jean-Louis Servranckx
President and Chief Executive Officer, Aecon Group Inc.

"The Oneida Energy storage project joins a class of Indigenous led initiatives that have the ability to transform local economies and bring prosperity to dozens of communities. We congratulate Six Nations of the Grand River on the announcement of this historic project, and we are confident that it will lead to opportunities for all Ontarians."
- Greg Rickford
Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Minister of Northern Development

"Ontario’s clean electricity system provides a key competitive advantage to the province, helping to attract $16 billion in investments by global automakers and suppliers of electric vehicle batteries and battery materials. These kinds of game-changing investments need a reliable, affordable and clean energy supply. By adding capacity to the energy grid, our government continues to ensure Ontario’s ability to attract new investments that will create more good-paying jobs."
- Vic Fedeli
Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade

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