Neoen and Eagle Lake First Nation awarded a 20-year contract for a new 8-hour battery in Ontario

Neoen and Eagle Lake First Nation have been awarded a 190 MW / 8-hour capacity contract by Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)
The 20-year contract will be delivered by a new battery, sized at 200 MW / 1,600 MWh and located west of Dryden, in the District of Kenora in Northwestern Ontario
It will be co-owned by Neoen and Eagle Lake First Nation in a 50% equity partnership
Construction is expected to begin in 2028, with a target in-service date of 2030

Neoen, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, and Eagle Lake First Nation have been awarded a 20-year capacity contract by Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) in its competitive Long-Term 2 Capacity Services procurement process. This new battery will provide additional capacity that will contribute to meeting Ontario’s growing electricity needs.

Located approximately 15 km west of the City of Dryden, in Northern Ontario, the project will store energy during periods of lower demand and release it back to the grid during peak usage, helping ensure power is available when it is needed most. Construction is expected to begin in 2028, with a target in-service date of 2030.

The project will be co-owned by Neoen and Eagle Lake First Nation in a 50% equity partnership and will deliver significant economic benefits including jobs and local spending. This is the first utility-scale energy project for Eagle Lake First Nation.

This award brings Neoen’s total secured capacity^[1] in Ontario to 918 MW and to 1,168 MW across Canada. Its portfolio also includes Fox Coulée, a 93 MWp operating solar farm in Alberta; Mino Giizis, a 157 MWp solar project in Saskatchewan which is being delivered in partnership with the Anishinabek Power Alliance, a 400 MW / 4-hour battery storage project in Ontario on the Traditional Territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, a 253 MWp solar project in partnership with Garden River First Nation and a 65 MWp solar project in partnership with Matachewan First Nation, both in Ontario.

Benoit Pinot de Villechenon, Neoen’s Province Director for Ontario, said: “This 8-hour battery represents an important step in expanding battery storage capacity in Ontario, while building a partnership rooted in respect, collaboration and shared benefits. We are grateful to Eagle Lake First Nation for their trust and collaboration, and we look forward to bringing this important project forward together.”

Chief Bernadette Wabange, Eagle Lake First Nation, said: “We are grateful that our partnership has contributed to the success of this award. This is an important opportunity for Eagle Lake First Nation, and we look forward to the benefits it will bring to our community and the region as a whole. We extend our thanks to Neoen for their early engagement and the strong efforts that supported the establishment of our partnership. As we move forward together, Eagle Lake First Nation remains committed to ensuring this project is developed in a way that respects our traditional values, culture, and relationship with the land.”

Emmanuel Pujol, Neoen’s Regional CEO for the Americas, concluded: “This award places Neoen as the leading developer in Ontario across the different Long-Term Procurements run by the IESO since 2023. It marks an important step in Neoen’s continued growth in Canada and reinforces our confidence in the role battery storage will play in the country’s clean energy transition. We are proud to be working with Eagle Lake First Nation, and we look forward to delivering this project together.”

[1] Secured portfolio includes capacity in operation or under construction and awarded projects.