Risks, benefits, opposition and more: What you need to know about the Battery Energy Storage System planned for Mississippi Mills
A public information meeting was held in Almonte on Thursday, Aug. 1 regarding the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) coming to Mississippi Mills. A BESS is an energy storage system that uses lithium batteries to store and distribute electricity. It stores unused energy during off-peak times (overnight) and distributes it to the grid during peak hours. These systems can range in size from home batteries like the Tesla Powerwall to large utility-scale operations, like the one planned for Mississippi Mills.
The Independent Electric Systems Ontario has been soliciting pitches for new BESS facilities to help meet Ontario’s growing demand for power. Groundbreaking on Mississippi Mills’ BESS is set for this month, with completion expected by May 2025.
Safety Concerns and Public Opposition
In November 2023, plans for a similar BESS in Orillia and two in west Ottawa were halted due to public opposition over safety concerns. BESS technology is relatively new and evolving, with few standards and policies in place to govern safety. “The technology is rapidly changing and improving,” said Logan Barrett of the Antler Group, experts in mitigating emergency situations safely and efficiently. Barrett is among the team who will be working on the Mississippi Mills Project to mitigate risk and ensure safety of the facility. He is a resident of Paris, ON, where another BESS facility is being constructed. He expressed confidence in the system and assured community members he had no concerns about one of these facilities coming to his hometown.
Community concerns in Mississippi Mills
However, this sentiment was not shared by the community members in attendance at the public meeting. The event was well-attended by concerned citizens from the Ramsay Meadows neighbourhood, which consists of 49 homes and is located across from the National Research Council’s national fire lab. In 2013, the lab discovered that fire fighting chemicals had contaminated their property’s groundwater, as well as the well-water of nearby residents, rendering it unsafe for consumption. Already dealing with health concerns, residents are now worried about the new BESS plant adjacent to their neighbourhood.
“We are living a nightmare and aren’t feeling any love or protection from the municipality,” said one concerned Ramsay Meadows resident, who wished to remain anonymous. “Put it this way, would you buy a home in our neighbourhood?”
Residents questioned why the facility had to be built so close to their subdivision, expressed concerns about housing prices already impacted by the water issue, and voiced frustration over the lack of consultation. “I feel like this issue was slipped under the rug. Why wasn’t it presented to everyone?” the anonymous resident continued. “There’s got to be more to this story.”
Addressing safety and environmental risks
Concerns were also raised about potential toxic fumes from the BESS facility affecting humans, livestock, groundwater, and the environment in case of a fire. Employees from COMPASS assured locals that the facility is remotely monitored 24/7 for fire, gas, and other risks, and a fail-safe shutdown will be installed. COMPASS also assured attendees that there have been no incidents reported where an entire facility has burned.
BESS facilities pose a heightened fire risk, as lithium-ion batteries are highly flammable and cannot be extinguished like regular fires. Currently, the Mississippi Mills Fire Department is not equipped to handle these types of fires, but COMPASS will provide the necessary training. The procedure for handling a fire at a BESS facility involves letting it burn out while monitoring from a safe distance to ensure it doesn’t spread.
“We have a plan but will rely on training from the developers to ensure we handle the fire correctly,” said Mississippi Mills Fire Chief Mike Williams. “I’m not 100 per cent against BESS. I’m getting more comfortable with the idea the more research I do. My main concern is keeping the community safe.”
Conflict of interest concerns
The BESS facility will be located at 6299 County Road 29, Mississippi Mills, on land owned by a family member of Mayor Christa Lowry. At the Mississippi Mills council meeting on Jan. 16, 2024, Mayor Lowry declared a conflict of interest due to her family’s ownership of the property. “Mayor Lowry has declared a pecuniary interest on this file. She has had no involvement in the process and has not participated in any of the discussions, debates, or votes. Anytime this matter has been discussed, the Mayor has not been in the room,” stated Mississippi Mills Communications Coordinator Ashley Kulp in an email.
Potential benefits and uncertain future
COMPASS states that the project will bring several benefits to the community, including high-skill green-collar jobs, tax benefits, a diversified income stream for landowners, and growth in the municipality’s energy capacity. The project will be remotely monitored and thus will not have on-site employees, though it will be constructed by a local company. While tax benefits and a diversified income stream for the landowner are anticipated, the specific impact on local tax revenues and direct economic benefits to the broader community are still to be determined. The increase in energy capacity will support the entire province, and the specific long-term benefits for Mississippi Mills are yet to be detailed. Neither the Municipality nor the developers provided additional information about long-term benefits at the time of publication.
For more information about the project, please visit the public website.