To address increasing demand for electricity and to offset supply challenges, the coordinator of Ontario’s electricity system, IESO, has launched a competitive process to support projects that include battery energy storage systems. As part of its commitment to sustainability and the environment, Trent University is considering an agreement to lease a portion of its lands on the Symons Campus to Atura Power, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation, to allow for the creation of a battery energy storage system.  

The project would add to a host of environmental initiatives, sustainability projects and research led by the University, and would advance affordable and efficient energy helping to advance Ontario’s path to a net-zero future. 

Environmental Leadership at Trent University

The North-End Peterborough Storage project aligns with Trent’s reputation as a world-leading environmental university, our focus on campus sustainability, and striving to reduce our overall carbon footprint. It will also help manage the increasing costs of electricity and energy for the campus. The project goals align with the guiding principles of the Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan and the system would increase Ontario’s electricity storage and support grid reliability. 

Next Steps

If approved by IESO, the North-End Peterborough Storage system will be located on 10-20 acres along the hydro corridor on the East Bank of the Symons Campus. This location was selected due to its proximity to transmission infrastructure. This parcel of land was studied as part of the Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan and was found to have low or no environmental constraints, and is designated for future University use. Atura Power will submit a bid to the province by December 12, 2023, and if selected, will engage in formal consultation with Indigenous communities, conduct environmental and archaeological studies, and obtain regulatory approval before the project can proceed.  

Learn More

The Trent community is invited to visit two pop-up booths on Thursday, October 19, 2023 to speak with representatives from Atura Power and learn more about this project. 

• Otonabee College, outside Wenjack Theatre  
  11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon 

• Bata Library, outside Bata Bean Café 
  1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.  

Members of the Trent and wider community are invited to a public information meeting on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, to learn more about the proposed project and speak with representatives from Atura Power.  

• Event Space, Trent Student Centre  
  Open House: 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.  
  Presentation and Q&A: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 

For those unable to attend, meeting materials will be posted on the project website following the meeting: aturapower.com/peterboroughenergystorage.