Thursday, May 8, 2025
The Oneida Energy Storage Project has officially commenced commercial operations, becoming the largest grid-scale battery energy storage facility in operation in Canada and one of the largest globally.
Located in Haldimand County, Ontario, the 250 MW / 1,000 MWh facility has been successfully delivered through a collaborative effort between Northland Power Inc., Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation (SNGRDC), NRStor Inc., Aecon Concessions, and the Mississaugas of the Credit River Business Corporation as owners of Oneida Energy Storage Limited Partnership. Aecon led the engineering, procurement and construction services for the project alongside Aecon-Six Nations, a general partnership between SNGRDC and Aecon. Northland will oversee operations of the facility.
“Safely and successfully reaching commercial operations on Oneida is a special moment and a significant milestone for Northland, our partners, and for Canada. As a first-of-its-kind project in Canada, Oneida charts the path for future storage projects across the country. Projects like Oneida, that deliver critical stability and capacity to Ontario’s electricity grid, help guarantee a prosperous future for our communities, our businesses and our economy. We are proud to be a part of that,” said Christine Healy, president and CEO, Northland Power.
With 278 lithium-ion battery units now officially drawing and storing power from Ontario’s electricity grid, Oneida LP will receive fixed capacity payments through a 20-year capacity services contract with Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator and generate revenue from energy sold into the Ontario electricity grid as well as from providing ancillary services to the system.
“Oneida Energy Storage achieving commercial operation is symbolic to us on many levels. As a foundational partner we are especially proud to play a lead role in introducing grid-connected energy storage to the Ontario energy market. Not only does the project create value for Ontario ratepayers and our community, our involvement highlights the importance of Indigenous partnership and inclusion – it exemplifies what can be accomplished together,” said Matt Jamieson, president and Chief Executive Officer, Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation.
The Oneida Energy Storage Project is No. 78 on ReNew Canada’s 2025 Top100 Projects report.
“The start of Oneida’s commercial operations is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and community leadership. By integrating advanced energy storage solutions with meaningful Indigenous partnerships, this project enhances Ontario’s clean energy grid and sets a global benchmark for sustainable infrastructure development while furthering our goal of making Canada a clean energy superpower. This is a critical step in delivering the energy capacity to support increasing demand, and technological advancement in the future,” said Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Mines.
The Oneida Energy Storage facility doubles the amount of energy storage resources on Ontario’s electricity grid from 225 MW to 475 MW – adding critical capacity and grid reliability to support the province’s rising demand for energy driven by electrification, population growth and continued economic investment. Expected to reduce emissions by an estimated 1.2 – 4.1 million tonnes over the life of the project, the facility helps advance Ontario’s ongoing decarbonization efforts.
“Our partnerships-first approach to energy projects with Indigenous Peoples really enabled the Oneida vision to become a reality and also resulted in a true Canadian success story which serves as the model to replicate moving forward. Today is a significant milestone for NRStor, our project partners, the Ontario government, and Canada’s clean energy future,” said Annette Verschuren, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, NRStor Inc.
Originally developed under a 50/50 partnership between SNGRDC and NRStor Inc., the Oneida Energy Storage facility serves as a model for purposeful partnerships, prioritizing Indigenous involvement in the development of clean energy in Canada. A strong example of public-private sector collaboration – the project received significant funding from Natural Resources Canada and the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
“Aecon’s dedicated teams played an integral role in achieving this milestone – working in collaboration with our ownership partners while serving as the constructor and harnessing our experienced Aecon-Six Nations general partnership to safely execute this project,” said Jean-Louis Servranckx, President & Chief Executive Officer, Aecon Group Inc. “With the expertise of Aecon’s Construction and Concessions teams, we are delivering and operating critical energy infrastructure.”
At the local level, the project generated more than 180 jobs during construction for Indigenous and Ontario workers, totalling more than 300,000 hours of work. Bringing the strength of its majority Indigenous workforce, over 40 A6N employees worked on the project.
“The Oneida Energy Storage Project exemplifies the power of Indigenous leadership in shaping Canada’s sustainable energy future. By partnering with other stakeholders, we are not only contributing to a cleaner, more resilient energy grid but also ensuring that our community benefits directly through jobs, revenue, and long-term economic growth. This project is a testament to what can be achieved when Indigenous peoples are at the forefront of innovation and collaboration,” said Ogiima Kwe Chief Claire Sault, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
Featured image: (Northland Power)
