by Melanie Price: Two of Nova Scotia Power’s new grid scale battery facilities are now operational.
The utility company says the goal of the Grid-Scale Battery Project is to “improve reliability of power service for customers and help the province achieve its goal of 80% renewable energy by 2030.”
The project, which Nova Scotia Power says it the largest battery installation in Atlantic Canada, includes three 50 MW/4-hour battery installations. The facilities in Bridgewater and Waverley were energized late in 2025 and are now operational. The third site, White Rock, is expected to come online in August 2026.
Each 50-megawatt site can supply roughly 40,000 average homes for about four hours.
“These battery sites allow us to store renewable energy and deliver it when customers need it most, ensuring reliability as more renewables are added to the grid,” said Dave Pickles, chief operating officer at Nova Scotia Power, in a news release.
The utility has already put the battery facilities to use as backup power sources during cold snaps in December and this past weekend, when power usage peaks.
“They’ve been in use practically every day since coming online. They’re used daily during peak periods and to support overall grid reliability,” said Debra McLellan, Nova Scotia Power’s senior project manager.
“They’re typically charged during off-peak periods and can reach full capacity so they’re ready when customers need them.”
The project, which Nova Scotia Power says cost $237 million, was funded in part by a $138.2 million loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB).
“A portion of this investment financed 90% of the Indigenous equity participation, enabling Wskijinu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency Ltd. (WMA)—an economic limited partnership owned by all 13 Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia—to take part in the project,” reads the news release.
Crystal Nicholas, president at Wskijinu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency Ltd., says WMA is proud to participate in the transition toward clean energy solutions for Nova Scotia.
“Investing in battery storage will produce economic benefits as well as energy resiliency for Mi’kmaw communities in the province, and we appreciate the support and partnership of CIB and Nova Scotia Power in bringing our voices to this important project,” said Nicholas in the news release.
Nova Scotia Power says an additional $117 million was provided by Natural Resources Canada’s Smart Renewable Energy and Electrification Pathways Program and Electricity Predevelopment Program.
The project has a 20-year life, with opportunities to extend that through maintenance and upgrades.
