Facilities – Electricity
Application
TERIC Power Ltd. (“TERIC”) applied for approval to construct and operate the 20-megawatt (“MW”) eReserve6 Battery Energy Storage Power Plant Project (the “Project”). Decision
Decision
The AUC approved the application to construct and operate the Project under s. 11 of the Hydro and Electric Energy Act (“HEEA”). The AUC approved the application to interconnect the Project to the distribution system of FortisAlberta Inc. under s. 18 of the HEEA.
Applicable Legislation
Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives.
Alberta Utilities Commission Act, SA 2007, c A-37.2 – s 17.
AUC Rule 001: Rules of Practice.
AUC Rule 012: Noise Control.
Historical Resources Act, RSA 2000, c H-9.
Hydro and Electric Energy Act, RSA 2000, c H-16 -, s 11 and 18.
Pertinent Issues
The Project consists of 11 1.9-MW lithium-ion battery modules from Tesla, Inc., with a total nameplate storage energy capacity of 20 MW-hours. TERIC will construct the Project on privately-owned land southeast of Hughenden, Alberta.
The AUC determined that the Project complies with Rule 007: Applications for Power Plants, Substations, Transmission Lines, Industrial System Designations, Hydro Developments and Gas Utility Pipelines and Rule 012: Noise Control.
The AUC determined that the participant involvement program was adequate and that no outstanding concerns remained. TERIC expected that impacts on wildlife and wildlife habitat due to the removal of 0.567 hectares of native prairie at this location to be negligible. TERIC supported this conclusion with submissions indicating that the section of land is small and primarily used as cultivated land.
The AUC accepted that, in the event of a fire, all emission concentrations would comply with applicable Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives (“AAAQO”) guidelines at or beyond 100 meters of the Project. The AUC noted that TERIC has an emergency response program (“ERP”) to support the development of its ERPs and imposed the following as conditions of approval:
(a) TERIC, and any subsequent operator, shall implement ongoing upgrades to improve the safety of the Project, including but not limited to firmware and software enhancements, monitoring capability enhancement, process changes, and safety standards as they are developed; and
(b) TERIC, and any subsequent operator, shall continually update and improve the site-specific ERP, the corporate ERP, and associated ERPs and advise the local fire departments, including but not limited to incorporating all mitigation measures required from discussions with the local fire departments and input from interested stakeholders and residents.
The AUC also required that TERIC and any subsequent operator maintain insurance coverage sufficient to protect against any reasonably foreseeable liabilities.
