Energy storage gets new prominence in the most recent update of Ontario’s rules for land use planning. The 2024 iteration of the provincial planning statement (PPS), set to take effect on October 20, explicitly lists energy storage systems among the options that municipalities are expected to consider to ensure there is an adequate energy supply to meet current and projected needs.

That’s an addition to the recognized energy supply roster, which also continues to reference: electricity generation facilities; transmission and distribution systems; district energy; renewable energy systems; and alternative energy systems. Otherwise, the 2024 PPS is organized somewhat differently than its 2020 predecessor, but includes most of the same directives related to energy conservation, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and promoting resiliency to climate change.

The PPS sets out broad policy parameters for municipalities to follow in developing their official plans and associated policies, documents and bylaws. In addition to ensuring that the energy supply will be sufficient to enable the growth their plans envision, municipal decision-makers are also instructed to:

• incorporate climate change considerations into the planning and development of infrastructure, including stormwater management systems, and public service facilities;
• support energy conservation and efficiency;
• promote green infrastructure, low-impact development and active transportation, protect the environment and improve air quality; and
• take into consideration any additional approaches that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build community resilience to the impacts of a changing climate.

Meanwhile, Ontario electricity customers can expect a nominal uptick in pass-through regulatory charges on their monthly bills for the next 16 months, related to the implementation of the provincial government’s plan to develop energy supply and electrification capacity. Earlier this month, the Ontario Energy Board approved a small increase to the Independent Electricity System Operator’s (IESO) budget to the end of 2025 to allow it to carry out work arising from that plan, which was introduced in the summer of 2023.

That will add slightly more than $0.03 per megawatt-hour (MWh) or 0.003 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to the IESO’s previously approved usage fee beginning with September bills. The charge will increase to about $1.45 per MWh (0.145 cents/kWh) for the remainder of 2024 and to $1.48 per MWh (0.148 cents/kWh) in January 2025.

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