RC119 JulyAugust 2025 - Magazine - Page 16
POWER GENERATION
POWERING UP
Indigenous-led Oneida Energy Storage Project goes online
HE ONEIDA ENERGY STORAGE PROJECT has o昀케cially commenced commercial operations, becoming the largest
grid-scale battery energy storage facility in operation
in Canada and one of the largest globally.
Located in Haldimand County, Ontario, the 250
MW/1,000 MWh facility has been successfully delivered through a collaborative e昀昀ort between Northland
Power Inc., Six Nations of the Grand River Development
Corporation (SNGRDC), NRStor Inc., Aecon Concessions,
and the Mississaugas of the Credit River Business Corporation as owners of Oneida Energy Storage Limited
Partnership. Aecon led the engineering, procurement and
construction services for the project alongside Aecon-Six
Nations, a general partnership between SNGRDC and
Aecon. Northland will oversee operations of the facility.
“This is a landmark project and a 昀椀rst-of-its kind in
Canada that really lays the tracks and acts as the blueprint
for other energy storage projects across the country,”
Northland Power CEO Christine Healy told ReNew
Canada.
“Beyond that, Oneida is a strong example of what
meaningful indigenous participation and public-private
sector collaboration can achieve when we all work together. From concept to operations, it’s really been about paving the way for storage to become a legitimate piece of the
puzzle in Canada. Years ago, when we were completing
the 昀椀nancing and contracting for the project, nobody was
asking for energy storage projects. Today, governments
are actively procuring it. Oneida really was the catalyst
for the emergence of the energy storage sector in Canada
and should be a foundational piece of our energy strategy
moving forward.”
“Oneida Energy is an example of what can be accomplished when multiple levels of government work
together with Indigenous partners to promote innovative
thinking and crowd-in investment from both public and
private companies,” added SNGRDC CEO Matt Jamieson,
in an email conversation with ReNew Canada.
With 278 lithium-ion battery units now o昀케cially
drawing and storing power from Ontario’s electricity grid,
Oneida LP will receive 昀椀xed capacity payments through
T
John Tenpenny is the
editor of ReNew Canada.
john@actualmedia.ca
16
a 20-year capacity services contract with Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator and generate revenue from energy sold into the Ontario electricity grid as
well as from providing ancillary services to the system.
“The Oneida Energy Storage Project marks a new era
in the evolution of our electricity system. Battery storage
projects like Oneida provide additional capacity to the
grid, supporting the province’s economic growth this
decade and beyond. Congratulations to all of the partners who contributed to the success of connecting the
昀椀rst battery energy storage project to the Ontario power
system,” said Lesley Gallinger, president and CEO, Independent Electricity System Operator.
The Oneida Energy Storage facility doubles the
amount of energy storage resources on Ontario’s electricity grid from 225 MW to 475 MW—adding critical capacity and grid reliability to support the province’s rising
demand for energy driven by electri昀椀cation, population
growth and continued economic investment. Expected to
reduce emissions by an estimated 1.2 - 4.1 million tonnes
over the life of the project, the facility helps advance
Ontario’s ongoing decarbonization e昀昀orts.
“The concept of energy storage helping to balance
our supply and demand cycles in real time is something
we’re doing here in Ontario, and something we are
starting to replicate across the country,” added Healy.
“Northland just reached 昀椀nancial close on our second
80MW/160Mwh battery energy storage facility in Alberta and are ready to enter construction. Oneida is the
beginning, not the end, of our journey in storage and we
should expect to see it replicated more and more.”
The Onedia Energy Storage Project was delivered through a collaborative
effort between Northland Power Inc., Six Nations of the Grand River
Development Corporation, NRStor Inc., Aecon Concessions, and the
Mississaugas of the Credit River Business Corporation as owners of Oneida
Energy Storage Limited Partnership.
RENEW CANADA – JULY/AUGUST 2025
RENEWCANADA.NET
NORTHLAND POWER, CANADA INFRASTRUCTURE BANK
by John Tenpenny
