Renewable Energy

Ontario’s electricity system is coordinated and integrated by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), a governing body responsible for monitoring the energy needs of the province and balancing supply and demand across transmission lines.

Overview

Ontario is entering a period of growing energy needs, and by 2050, electricity demand is anticipated to grow by 75%. These needs are driven by economic growth, population growth, and increased electrification. This demand is happening in the midst of expiring generator contracts, nuclear refurbishments and the elimination of emissions from the grid. To address emerging needs, Ontario is implementing a multi-pronged approach, including new supply and transmission.

Currently, the IESO is engaging in the next proposed Long-Term procurement, the Long-Term 2 Request for Proposals (LT2 RFP). The LT2 RFP is expected to include multiple RFP windows to procure a variety of resources over the next several years.

Read the IESO's Annual Planning Outlook

What role does Haldimand County play in the RFP process?

With the significant electricity system needs expected over the next decade, municipalities and Indigenous communities play a key role in advancing, managing, and shaping the ongoing energy transition, including:

Informing electricity planning to ensure a reliable and adequate supply
Shaping the province’s energy transition by ensuring the system is prepared for future needs
Hosting new generation, transmission and storage resources
Working with project developers on the applicable approvals and building partnerships, where applicable

Municipal Support Resolution

A key aspect of the IESO submission process (LT2 RFP) is that developers must engage with municipalities and obtain municipal support for a project, allowing municipalities to have control over the types and locations of projects they host.

A Municipal Support Resolution (MSR) is now mandatory for developers to include with their proposal submission to the IESO and signals that a community supports the proposed project moving to the next phase.

In December 2024, Haldimand County Council approved criteria that must be met for projects to receive Municipal support. Proponents must sign a community benefit agreement that outlines the criteria that must be met.

Location criteria

Location criteria for municipal support
Project type	Permitted location
Wind turbine	Not permitted in any designation or zone in Haldimand County
Ground-mounted solar, battery energy storage systems, hydro, biomass, nuclear, natural gas, biogas, cogeneration	Industrial designation and zones
Innovative "clean" technologies directly associated with an existing agricultural use (such as biomass, biogas, cogeneration, rooftop solar)	Agricultural designation and zone

Other criteria that must be met

Public engagement notification
Attendance at a pre-consulation meeting
Adherence to the Site Plan process, including providing:
- A landscaping element creating a visual screen
- A fire safety plan
- A decommissioning plan
Entering into a Municipal Access Agreement

Agreeing to the criteria set by Haldimand does not automatically mean a project will be approved by the IESO; it only means they agree to adhere to our conditions should they be selected. The advancement of any project is at the sole discretion of the IESO and the province.

For more details on specific Haldimand County criteria, see the following Council reports:

Report CAO-03-2023 - IESO Battery Storage Proposal - Municipal Support Resolutions
Report EDT-05-2024 - Independent Electricity System Operation Request for Proposal Long Term 2 - Municipal Support Resolutions
Report EDT-08-2024 - Update to Report EDT-05-2024 and Moratorium on Wind Development in Haldimand County.

Benefits to the Community

It is expected that there will be a number of local benefits to supporting energy projects within Haldimand. Some of these include, but are not limited to:

Assessment revenue

Projects will provide reliable ongoing contributions to the municipality’s tax base while requiring minimal municipal services.

Bolstered local economy

During construction, these projects are anticipated to create local jobs. In addition, increased electrical capacity contributes to the economic viability of the area and may assist in the attraction of new or expanded business.

Environmental impacts

Projects will help to reduce Ontario’s emissions and contribute to provincial grid resilience.

Community benefits

All projects will be required to enter into a Community Benefit Agreement with Haldimand, which will result in significant financial contributions to the municipality over the next 20+ years. If successful in the IESO procurement process, the project will provide an annual monetary contribution, per megawatt, over the life of the project, resulting in meaningful financial contributions to the municipality.

Recently approved projects in Haldimand County

Approved projects in Halimdna County
Project Name	Company name	Location	Project type	Max. Capacity	Status
Hagersville Battery Energy Storage Park	Boralex	Concession 11 Walple	Battery energy storage	300 mw	Under construction
Oneida Energy Storage	Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation and Northland Power	Jarvis	Battery energy storage	250 mw	Operational
Hedley BESS Project	Aypa Power	Concession 9 Walpole	Battery energy storage	211 mw	Under review

Projects that are currently seeking municipal support

Projects seeking municipal support
Project Name	Company name	Location	Project type	Max. Capacity	Status
Nanticoke Battery Energy Storage System	Atura Power	Haldimand Road 55	Battery energy storage	300 mw	Public engagement (pre-submission)

For more information on renewable energy projects in Haldimand, contact our Economic Development and Tourism team.

On this page