MINTO – NRStor Inc. is pushing to have its Minto energy storage system redeveloped and expanded to store energy for longer periods, says a report heading to Minto council.
At this point, the new system will just hold energy for longer. If necessary, the new facility will built to store greater amounts of energy also.
Minto council will receive the NRStor report for information at Tuesday afternoon's meeting.
The province's Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), the province's crown corporation that manages its electrical system, will decide the required size of the project. That information will be provided to NRStor by Nov. 30.
The IESO is looking for a 2500 megawatt expansion of energy storage in Ontario.
The NRStor contract with IESO to operate the current flywheel site is set to end in early 2023.
The current Minto facility uses 2 MW flywheel technology to store energy. That facility began operation in 2014.
The redeveloped Minto site would include lithium ion battery technology where a large container holds “strings” of batteries. In a basic sense, it functions similar to the batteries found in cellphones and laptops.
It involves a massive battery that balances the electricity produced with electricity used.
NRStor representatives will present a more detailed report of its plans at the Minto council meeting on Dec. 6.
Jesse Gault is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
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