IESO awards 380 MW contract for a new four-hour battery
France’s Neoen has announced that one of its subsidiary companies has been awarded a 380 MW / 4-hour capacity contract by Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO).
With a total capacity of 400 MW / 1,600 MWh, Grey Owl Storage will be located in the Municipality of Arran-Elderslie, Bruce County, Ontario. The battery is set to be operational by early 2028.
“We are thrilled to have been awarded this major contract with the IESO,” said Neoen Americas’ CEO Emmanuel Pujol. “We are thrilled to have been awarded this major contract with the IESO. The province’s energy and capacity needs are massive, and Neoen’s ambition is to be a key contributor, by developing a broad portfolio of renewable energy and storage projects for the years to come.”
Neoen, through its subsidiary Shift Solar, will be the long-term owner and operator of the battery. Grey Owl Storage will be the second largest battery in Canada, and the largest in Neoen’s portfolio.
Grey Owl Storage will provide the IESO for a period of 20 years from commissioning with additional capacity that will contribute to meet the province’s growing needs. The battery will be able to charge during off-peak hours and redistribute the stored energy back into the grid at peak times, when it is needed most.
In addition to Grey Owl Storage, Neoen’s portfolio of assets in Canada already includes the 93 MWp Fox Coulee solar farm located in Alberta, which is currently under construction and scheduled for commissioning in the coming weeks.
Neoen is one of the world’s leading storage companies, with a battery portfolio of 1,656 MW / 4,169 MWh in operation or under construction. The company has developed, owns and operates some of the world’s largest batteries, including: the Victorian Big Battery (300 MW / 450 MWh), the Western Downs Battery (270 MW / 540 MWh), Collie Battery 1 (219 MW / 877 MWh) and 2 (341 MW / 1,363 MWh) and the world’s first ever big battery, Hornsdale Power Reserve (150 MW / 193.5 MWh), all located in Australia.