Neoen has secured a long-term capacity services contract from Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator for a new large-scale battery storage project in Northwestern Ontario, marking another significant step in the French renewable energy company's rapid expansion across Canada.

Contract Details and Project Specifications

Ontario's IESO awarded Neoen a 190 MW / 8-hour capacity services contract through its competitive Long-Term 2 Capacity Services procurement process. The contract runs for 20 years and will be fulfilled by a newly constructed battery facility rated at 200 MW and 1,600 MWh of storage capacity. The battery is designed to store energy during periods of lower demand and discharge it back to the provincial grid during peak periods.

The facility will be located approximately 15 kilometres west of the City of Dryden, in the District of Kenora in Northwestern Ontario. Construction is expected to begin in 2028, with a target in-service date of 2030.

First Nations Equity Partnership

The project will be co-owned by Neoen and Eagle Lake First Nation under a 50% equity partnership arrangement. According to Neoen, the project represents the first utility-scale renewable energy project for Eagle Lake First Nation. The company stated that the asset will deliver economic benefits, including jobs and local spending for the surrounding community.

Emmanuel Pujol, Neoen's Regional CEO for the Americas, highlighted the partnership in a statement released alongside the announcement. "We are proud to be moving forward in partnership with Eagle Lake First Nation, working together to deliver a project that will contribute to a more local and resilient energy future," he said. Pujol also noted that Neoen's Canadian team had secured a total capacity of 675 MW across the country in 2026 alone.

Growing Ontario and Canadian Portfolio

With this award, Neoen's total secured capacity in Ontario rises to 918 MW. Across Canada as a whole, the company's secured portfolio now stands at 1,168 MW. Neoen defines its secured portfolio as capacity that is in operation, under construction, or at the awarded project stage.

The newly contracted Northwestern Ontario battery joins three other awarded projects the company holds in Ontario. These include a 400 MW / 4-hour battery located on the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, a 253 MWp solar farm developed in partnership with Garden River First Nation, and a 65 MWp solar farm developed in partnership with Matachewan First Nation.

Beyond Ontario, Neoen's Canadian holdings include Fox Coulée, a 93 MWp operating solar farm in Alberta, and Mino Giizis, a 157 MWp solar project in Saskatchewan being delivered in partnership with the Anishinabek Power Alliance.

Pattern of First Nations Collaboration

The Eagle Lake First Nation partnership is consistent with an approach Neoen has taken across multiple Canadian projects. Of the company's five awarded or operating projects in Ontario and Saskatchewan identified in the announcement, four involve formal equity or development partnerships with Indigenous communities.

The Northwestern Ontario battery energy storage project now represents the fifth such relationship across Neoen's Canadian portfolio when the Anishinabek Power Alliance partnership on the Saskatchewan solar project is included.

Executive Commentary on Canadian Growth

Xavier Barbaro, Group CEO of Neoen, described the award as the company's fourth contract win in Canada in 2026 and pointed to the pace of portfolio growth as a measure of its competitive positioning in the market.

"We are delighted to win our fourth contract in Canada this year, and to have secured a portfolio of more than 1 GW in less than four years, placing Neoen among the country's leading renewable energy companies," Barbaro said.

He added that the results demonstrate Neoen's ability to develop large-scale projects competitively and to combine power generation with storage while building partnerships with First Nations communities. "We are more determined than ever to accelerate the energy transition in Canada, and around the world," Barbaro said.

Ontario Procurement Context

The contract was awarded through the IESO's Long-Term 2 Capacity Services procurement process, a competitive tender designed to bring new capacity resources into Ontario's electricity system.

The 20-year contract duration reflects the long-term nature of capacity services agreements under that procurement framework. The 190 MW contracted capacity figure differs slightly from the 200 MW physical size of the battery, with the 200 MW / 1,600 MWh specification representing the full rated capacity of the facility to be constructed near Dryden.

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