A contract for a 400 Megawatt battery storage facility was awarded to a proposal in Arran-Elderslie.
Shift Solar Inc. won a 20-year contract as part of a recent tender launched by Ontario’s Independent Electricity Systems Operator (IESO). A total of 10 facilities were awarded contracts across the province.
Bruce County Warden Chris Peabody says several municipalities, including Brockton where he is mayor, made a bid.
He says from experience that its a controversial project.
"I know in Grey-Bruce there was seven (proposals)," said Peabody. "The only one successful is on the county line in Arran Township close to the Sauble River. So that council – Arran Elderslie – will now have to engage in the next process and I think it might be a fractious process for them. I know it will be, it was a split council vote with a lot of angry residents. So that council will be in for a lot of work."
The proposed facility would be developed on agricultural land at the corner of Concession 4 and Grey Bruce Line.
This was just the first round of long-term procurement conducted by the IESO. Another has just begun, but Peabody says while it's important to stabilize the province's power grid, the process was so disorganized, Brockton won't be participating again.
"There were so many people applying, we never realised how low our odds were," he said. "We spent an awful lot of staff time, public meetings, council time on this. I think if we realised how low our odds were, we wouldn't have participated in this and stirred up so much anxiety in the community. So going forward, I know there's a round two, I'm going to definitely say that Brockton is opting out."