Battery Energy Storage Coming To North Frontenac

Jeff Green | Jun 19, 2025

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are not new to Ontario, and they are a part of the plan by the Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to ensure that Ontario has a secure electricity grid into the future, even as demand for electricity is continually increasing.

BESS are arrays of batteries located near high density power lines that store power during low usage times on the provincial electricity grid, and release power during high use times. They are not exclusively designed to support renewable energy sources, but they are a way to address one of the main stress points of renewable sources; consistency of supply.

As part of its procurement plans for this year, IESO is setting out a Request For Proposal to supply 600 mw of new energy storage assets to add to the capacity of the grid.

Alectra Energy Solutions (AES) is the commercial wing of Alectra Utilities, which is owned by 14 municipalities in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario, making it the 2nd largest municipally-owned utility in North America. AES is intending to join the IESO grid with a project in North Frontenac.

Two company representatives from AES appeared before North Frontenac Council at their regular meeting last week (June 12) They made a presentation about what BESS projects in general, and about a project they want to pursue in North Frontenac. Their appearance also kickstarted  the process whereby  North Frontenac Council will decide whether to pass a motion of support for the project or not. Unless they get a motion of support from Council, AES will not be able to submit the project to the IESO.

AES is seeking to put in a large array of batteries, enough to store 140 kW of power, on a 10-15 acre site located on township-owned land that is adjacent to the Highway 506 North Frontenac Waste Site. The site is located west of Fernleigh, east of Highway 41, not far  from Lake Mississagagon. 

Kevin Whyte, from AES, said that the site has certain advantages as a location for a BESS. It is located near four power lines, and not only is it located on township property, there is also a buffer between where the array would be located and any residential properties in the vicinity.

He said that AES will be seeking to arrange to lease the land from the township, and would be offering a “community benefit” payment of $1,000 per kW/hr to the township, each year of the 20 year run of the procurement contract with the IESO. This would represent $2.8million in revenue for North Frontenac over 20 years, in addition to the monies generated from the leasing agreement.

In response to the presentation, councillors wanted to know what the public consultation process will be, before Council will have to decide whether to support the project or not.

Kevin Whyte said that he will be looking to township staff to help set up an evening meeting over the summer, and perhaps an afternoon meeting as well. The sessions will feature information from AES officials, as well as a question and answer session.

To a question about concerns over fire safety, Whyte said that the technology being used in BESS construction is ever changing, AES is building three installations this year, and the current technology is to construct modular arrays, each one about the size of a refrigerator, packed with smaller batteries. The arrays are separated from each year, so that on the off chance that one of them catches fire, it can be left to burn out on its own without risking catching any of the other arrays on fire.

He also said that while there are no custodians watching the installations, they are constantly monitored with cameras and sensors, and can be shut down virtually.

“We build in redundancies to keep our installations operating safely. Since we are connected to a larger utility like Alectra, we have a lot of experience delivering a hazardous product safely to customers over a long period of time,” he said.

Council received the presentation and directed staff to organise public information sessions, and post information about the project on the township website.

Alectra also approached South Frontenac in 2024 about a BESS project. That project was slated to be located nearer to local residents. At the public information session in that instance, there were a number of residents who were dead set against the project. There was also a very limited time between the first presentation to Council, and AES needed for the township to pass a motion of support. South Frontenac Council defeated the motion of support in a 5-4 vote, and the project died at that point.

Mayor Vandewal, who cast the deciding no vote, said that he did not oppose the project, but felt it should only go ahead if all of Council supported it.