EPCOR owns and operates the water utility in the City of Edmonton. Water utility rates are regulated by the City. The City has adopted an Energy Transition Strategy under which it has established a goal of sourcing 10% of its own electricity requirements from new, renewable sources in the Edmonton region. As regulator of the water utility, the City approved a green cost rider on water rates to enable EPCOR to achieve Energy Transition Strategy goal in respect of electricity use in its water utility.

EPCOR is in the final stages of permitting a 10 MW solar farm (44k solar panels) on 55 acres of land be adjacent to EPCOR’s E.L. Smith Water Treatment Plant in southwest Edmonton. This “behind the meter” plant will produce approximately 20,000 MWhs annually or about 45% of the plant’s annual electricity use. EPCOR has also been awarded $12.6 M in Federal and Provincial grant funding to include a 6 MW Battery Energy Storage System to create a unique behind the meter micro grid that integrates the solar farm and the plant electricity load with battery storage. EPCOR is working with community partners to make this an active and accessible research and education demonstration site. The talk will focus on the development project including permitting a large solar facility in an urban setting.