Ontario's electricity system operator is announcing that it is bringing seven new battery storage projects into the province's grid, including several across Windsor-Essex.
The projects are designed to support reliability and help eventually move away from natural gas.
The projects announced Tuesday by the Independent Electricity System Operator include the Walker BESS 4, a proposed 4.999 Mega-Watt lithium-ion battery storage project located at 3940 and 3986 North Service Road East in Windsor.
The ISEO also approved the Tilbury Battery Storage project near existing Hydro One infrastructure in Lakeshore, with a capacity target of 80 Mega-Watts.
Today's procurement announcement also comes with more natural gas generation, from expansions and upgrades at existing sites.
The Independent Electricity System Operator says Ontario can eliminate natural gas in the electricity system by 2050, but it is still needed for now to maintain reliability.
The ISEO approved Capital Power increasing its capacity by 100 megawatts by adding twin natural gas turbines to its East Windsor Cogeneration Centre, located at the corner of Cadillac Street and Riverside Drive.
The IESO has also finalized a 10-year agreement for the continued operation of the Brighton Beach Generation Station, including a 42.5 MW efficiency upgrade for the facility, which will provide about 580 MW of urgently needed capacity in the Windsor area.
The projects in Windsor received support from council as the area grapples with fast-growing electricity needs to support investment and growth.
The IESO said in the fall that Ontario should secure 4,000 more megawatts of capacity in the system, enough to power the city of Toronto, as it faces surging electricity demand and a large nuclear plant is set to come offline.
Today's announcement amounts to 1,325 of those 4,000 megawatts and the IESO says there are several other storage projects in the works.
Ontario Energy Minister Todd Smith says it marks Canada's largest energy storage procurement.
With files from the Canadian Press