North Glengarry Battery Energy Storage System

Energy storage fundamentally improves the way we generate, deliver, and consume electricity. Energy storage helps during emergencies like power outages from storms, equipment failures and accidents. The major benefit of energy storage is its ability to balance power supply and demand instantaneously – within milliseconds – which makes power networks more resilient and efficient.

BESS systems are considerably smaller footprint compared to other clean technologies such as solar or wind farms. On average, a 25MW 4-hr BESS system occupies 1 acre of land.

BESS have to apply with municipal, provincial and national permitting and codes and standards. The following is a non-exhaustive list of industry standards our Project will comply with:

UL 9540 Standard for Energy Storage Systems and Equipment
UL 9540A Test Method for Evaluating Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation in Battery Energy Storage Systems
National & Provincial Building Code
National Fire Code Canada
Underwriters Laboratories of Canada
NECB 2017 National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings
ULC (Underwriters Laboratories of Canada)
UL 1741 Standard for Inverters, Converters, Controllers, and Interconnections
UL 1973 Standard for Batteries for Use in Stationary, Vehicle Auxiliary Power and Light Electric Rail (LER)

BESS are certified to UL9540 and UL9540A standards to prevent fire spread at the cell, module BESS system level. BESS enclosures have built-in early fire detection systems. These include temperature sensors, smoke detectors, gas detectors, whose main function is to detect abnormalities in the operation of the BESS and automatically stop operations. In the rare event of a fire, the BESS are designed and tested to prevent fire spread between cells, modules and containers.

These BESS do not use lead acid batteries, and therefore do not leak.

Mechanical failures include physical damage that could create heat or a fire. Hazards associated with lithium-ion battery energy storage systems are centred on the flammable organic electrolyte and its highly reactive electrodes. However, if the batteries are punctured, there is a risk of electrolytes being exposed to air, which will result in a chemical reaction, leading to thermal runaway and combustion.

Other potential hazardous wastes could include fire residue, debris and fire extinguishing agents. The management of these wastes starts at the cell level, with the selection of battery chemistry, and compliance with local AHJs and global certifications. This is where UL9540A certification becomes critical to BESS projects. Any hazardous leaks will be contained in the enclosure.

In the event of a fire, our storm water management system and emergency response plan will ensure that we collect any fire water for removal so that it will not leach into the ground.

To allow for our connection to the Hydro One grid we are bound by the BESS Fire Protection Risk and Response Assessment Standard, which requires us to complete several assessments including:

1) Hazard Mitigation Analysis
2) Fire Risk Assessment
3) Fire Protection Design Documentation
4) Commissioning Plan
5) Decommissioning Plan and
6) Emergency Response Plan.

We are required to submit a self declaration as part of connection process with Hydro One and make these documents available upon request.

BESS facilities have an expected lifespan of 22 years, or more, with equipment replacement and repowering. At the time of decommissioning, the installed components will be removed and reused/recycled, where possible, and the site restored. All removal of equipment will be done per the applicable regulations and manufacturer recommendations. The below summarizes the decommissioning procedure that would be enacted at the end of project life for each component.

BESS – Disconnect all above-ground wirings. Remove all BESS enclosures and support structures.

Medium Voltage (MV) Stations, Substation – Disconnect and remove all electrical equipment. Remove the inverter and associated equipment. Remove high-voltage substation transformer. Remove concrete foundations for MV Stations and substation components.

Access roads and other components – Consult with the property owner to determine if access roads should be left in place for their continued use. If roads are to be removed, the aggregate materials will be excavated by a backhoe/front-end loader, along with any underlying geotextile fabric. Compacted areas restored.

Underground cables – Underground electrical lines running between the inverters and the substation will be removed. All foundation materials will be removed.

This scale of BESS projects generally take between 6 to 12 months from the start of construction till commissioning.

As part of the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry (EASR) permitting process, a Noise Impact Assessment was completed for the project and submitted to the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks. This included an ambient noise survey to establish the existing ‘noise envelope’ at the site, taking into consideration zoning, nearby highways, and other relevant factors. The assessment determined that the BESS will operate within the sound level limits outlined in Chapter 3 of the EASR Publication at all nearby points of reception.

The safety of people, first responders and neighbours are our priority. We are taking a proactive approach to ensuring a safe and efficient operation. Safety is being addressed with a multi-layered approach:

1. Battery Chemistry: Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries have a lower energy density, and a more stable chemistry, making them safer and less likely to overheat.

2. Equipment has been selected based on track record, planning and testing, monitoring, automation, isolation, and suppression

3. 24 hour monitoring of battery operations and cell temperatures, including gas detectors, smoke detectors and temperature detectors.

4.If any abnormality in the operations are detected, the system shuts down and alerts the operator

5.The battery system is tested to UL9540A standards which require that fire will not propagate between battery units in the unlikely event of a critical failure.

The likelihood of a fire is extremely low. Nevertheless, we are currently developing a site-specific Emergency Response Plan with the Fire Chief that will include all necessary training and equipment for the fire department. In the unlikely event of a fire, our plume dispersion modeling shows that all residences fall outside of any consequence zones.

The project owner will provide and pay for training for the local fire department on how to best manage different types of emergencies related to the battery system. Based on engagement with the fire department they do not need any additional equipment, but should the need arise, the project owner will provide additional equipment at no cost to the fire department.

Electric fields are produced whenever a conductor such as a power line is connected to a source of electrical voltage. Magnetic fields are produced whenever an electrical current flows in a conductor. An example of this is the plugging of a lamp into a wall outlet in a home. When the lamp is plugged in, a voltage is induced in the cord to the lamp that causes an electric field to be created around the cord. In this example, if the lamp is turned on allowing electricity to flow to the lamp, a magnetic field is created around the lamp cord in addition to the electric field.

For the BESS system, the magnetic field will vary with the amount of power being charged or discharged, and the time of the day when the charging and discharging would occur. However, the strength of both electric and magnetic fields will decrease rapidly with distance from the source – for each doubling of the distance from the EMF source, the EMF will drop by a factor of eight. Electric fields will also diminish from absorption by any vegetation (including low-growing vegetation) located in its path because the plants effectively ground the electric fields.

There will be a short distance from the BESS to the connection point where the EMF would be created. More importantly, there are few to no buildings in the vicinity of the connection point.

If deemed necessary by authorities having jurisdiction, measurements of magnetic fields could be made before construction of the Project and after the Project begins operating to assess whether EMF from the Project’s electrical infrastructure would extend into the neighbouring area.

Construction of the Project would happen in phases and be carried out by small teams of 5-10 attending to site work in an ordered manner to avoid any traffic management issues at the site. The phases would generally focus on the civil works, mechanical installation, electrical connection, landscaping. It was highlighted that after construction and commissioning of the project, there would be minimal employee traffic to the site as the BESS will be remotely monitored and scheduled site visits would happen quarterly to ensure stable operations and effective preventive maintenance.

The number of containers depends on the density of the battery technology which continues to advance. We will 20 containers within about an acre of land on this project. Our project will have the ability to add up to two additional containers in the future.

Our public consultation followed and in some ways exceeded the requirements specified in the Long Term 1 Request for Proposals. This included:

1) Establishing a Project Website
2) Putting a notice for the public meeting on the project website
3) Sending notices to adjacent neighbours via Express Post (required)
4) Send notices to houses within 1 km of the property via regular mail (exceeded the requirement)
5) Holding a public community meeting
6) Posting minutes to the public meeting
7) Holding a second community meeting

Since the property borders highway 417 to the south there were seven adjacent properties to the north. In addition to these required notices, we sent notices to four additional property owners south of highway 417 via Express Post. This represented approximately a 500-meter notice circumference area from the project site. We also sent notices to properties generally within a 1 km radius of the property where our project is located through regular mail. Again, this was above the minimum requirement, but we wanted to ensure broader notice than the minimum.

In addition, we presented the project to the municipal council in September 2023 and began engagement with the local fire department around the same time. The municipality also conducted its own community engagement as part of the Zoning Bylaw Amendment process. This included notifying neighbours within the required 120-meter radius, hosting a community meeting, posting information on their website (which was not required), and notifying La Nation (also not required).

Regular maintenance of the electrical and battery equipment includes on-going 24-hour monitoring as well as regular scheduled maintenance, like other electrical equipment. These include changing filters on HVAC equipment and visually inspecting connections in equipment.
The project owner, North Glengarry BESS Inc., is required to maintain the BESS project. The project will be remote monitored 24/7, 365 days per year by I) the project owner, ii) a dedicated third-party vendor and iii) the battery manufacturer. This monitoring is focused on voltage, temperature and gas detection, any of which will alert the operators. Further, any critical abnormalities would automatically isolate to make the system safe. It will have regular scheduled maintenance and as required unscheduled maintenance.

This site was selected due to the proximity to St. Isidore transformer station, where it will be electrically interconnected. It borders on a highway and has no residential dwellings for more than 500 metres away.
It is located on cultivated land that is already highly disturbed from an environmental perspective and therefore the development will have minimal impact on sensitive habitat. The site area will be approximately 1 acre.
For these reasons this is a preferred location.

It was anticipated that people would have concerns about how their property values might be impacted. Similar concerns were raised about the effects of wind farms and solar farms. However, there is no data to support a decrease in property values from these energy projects. All potential safety and environmental hazards are being thoroughly assessed and addressed through the permitting process and our Emergency Response Plan.

These projects will be located more than 500 metres from any home—well beyond the recommended safety setbacks for stationary battery energy storage systems (BESS). This distance exceeds both industry standards and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s recent recommendation of a 61.2 metre setback, which is double the requirement outlined in NFPA 855.

In addition to this separation from residences, the projects will be designed and constructed to meet or exceed all applicable safety standards for stationary energy storage. They will also carry all required liability and environmental insurance.

Because the risk of fire is extremely low and all safety measures are being strictly followed, there is no evidence to suggest that this project would affect nearby property insurance premiums.

The project will be fully insured for the duration of construction and life of the project. Our insurance will cover environmental cleanup caused by our battery system and costs to the municipality for deploying fire fighters to address a fire or emergency on site.

Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) Phase 1 – Complete -nothing was identified that is considered to be a potential environmental concern in relation to the Site. As such, a Phase II ESA is not recommended at this time.
Environmental Activity Sector Registry (EASR)- Complete – It was determined that the combined sound level resulting from sound discharged from the facility at each affected point of reception, as determined using an acoustic assessment, is less than or equal to the applicable sound level limit set out in Chapter 3 of the EASR Publication.
Emission Summary and Dispersion modelling report– Complete – It was determined the facility has no significant sources of air emissions
Species At Risk (SAR) Screening – Complete – Confirmed no SAR specimens or critical habitats are evident in the agriculture field. Due to long-term use of the Site for agriculture and the local presence of Skye Road and Highway 417, the potential habitat available for fish, wildlife, and plants is very limited.

The BESS projects procured under the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) procurements help ensure grid reliability by storing electricity when supply is high and delivering it during peak demand. The electricity stored will be dispatched by the IESO and conveyed through the St. Isidore Transformer station to the broader grid and ultimately used by homes, businesses, and industries across Ontario.

The major equipment on site that have anything that can spill are the primary oil filled transformers (three in total). As part of our Environmental Compliance Approval, we will maintain an oil containment system to capture any oil that spills or leaks from the transformers. In addition, we will be remotely monitoring oil temperature and levels to allow us to detect any issues and dispatch a response team.

In the event of a large leak in oil into the containment system, North Glengarry BESS Inc. has retained environmental response experts to provide 3rd party remediation services in the event of a spill or release impacting the environment. These contractors perform and not limited to the following services:
• Emergency spill response services (Containment equipment, Bulk waste removal equipment & Chemical response technicians)

• Dewatering and Containment (Including Large containment tanks, Transfer pumps and Vacuum trucks)
Industrial firefighting (Firefighting assets and personnel to assist the municipal fire services if required)

• Environmental engineering and Consulting (Soil & water testing, On-site & community air monitoring, Environmental reporting)
Environmental remediation services (Heavy civil equipment, Ground water treatment)

• Licenced waste receiving facilities (Soil & liquid)

In the unlikely event of a release to the environment North Glengarry BESS Inc. will immediately dispatch emergency crews sourced locally and provincially to attend the site with response and remediation assets. Upon approval from the local authorities and working in conjunction with the fire department. these assets will mobilize on site.

North Glengarry BESS Inc. is responsible to comply with the Ontario Environmental Protection Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.19 and all spills and releases impacting the natural environment will be reported immediately.