Ontario has announced a new partnership with Toronto Hydro that will help reduce emissions on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.
Toronto Hydro will build a battery energy storage system that “will increase the reliability of the line, lower operating costs, and reduce emissions,” according to a press release sent out by the provincial minister of transportation, Steven Del Duca. The battery will store energy generated during off-peak hours and then supply that energy during peak times.
This power system will also be able to provide backup and emergency power to Crosstown for up to four hours in the event of a power outage. This will replace the natural gas-powered backup facility that was previously proposed.
“We have listened to your community and are pleased to be able to deliver this alternative energy solution that will respect the concerns of the residents in this area while meeting the needs of the new LRT,” Del Duca said in a statement. “This battery energy storage system will provide environmental cost savings that will improve our quality of life as we keep people moving.”
Toronto Hydro President and CEO says “this facility is a prime example of the flexible, integrated electricity grid we must continue to build. It supports the electrification of transit and provides backup power, enabling us to better serve our communities.”
The announcement was made at the future Mount Dennis Station Tuesday morning. The Crosstown LRT is a 19-kilometre transit system that will connect Mount Dennis with Kennedy Station. It is expected to be completed by 2021.
