Chatham-Kent council has given its stamp of approval for a pair of renewable energy projects.
At Monday night’s meeting, Aypa Power and Ferma Energy and Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. were given the green light to submit proposals to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO.
The companies required municipal support to participate in the IESO’s Long-Term 2 (LT2) procurement process, which aims to help meet Ontario’s growing electricity demand.
The IESO forecasts that Ontario’s annual electricity demand will grow 75 per cent by 2050 due to economic growth, electrification, and evolving technologies.
Aypa Power proposed two Battery Energy Storage Systems: one at Queen’s Line and Dylan Road, and the second in the Bloomfield Business Park. The Queen’s Line project is expected to power approximately 150,000 homes for eight hours per day, with the Bloomfield site powering 70,000 homes.
The two locations are estimated to bring in an annual payment of $2.6 million for community purposes in the municipality. With the plan for them to be decommissioned in 20 years, with the leased land returned to its original state, the two sources could bring in over $50 million in their life cycle.
Council voted unanimously in favour of allowing Aypa Power to proceed with submitting proposals to the IESO.
The Ferma Energy and Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. proposal, the Sandhill Battery Energy Storage System Project, is located on Baseline Road just east of Wallaceburg. It is estimated to provide $2 million per year in community benefit contributions over 20 years.
Council voted 13 to 1 in favour of Ferma Energy’s proposal with Councillor Rhonda Jubenville voting against.
