PowerStream broke ground Friday on the construction of a unique system that, when completed in 2016, will provide up to 11 hours of backup power supply for approximately 400 of the utility's customers residing or owning a business in Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada. The Penetanguishene Micro Grid will be operated from PowerStream's System Control Centre at the company's head office in Vaughan with remote accessibility for performance monitoring via the internet by the company's project partner, the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO).
The high-tech equipment for what is being referred to as the Penetanguishene Micro Grid, will be installed adjacent to PowerStream's Robert Street Municipal Substation located east of the town's Main Street. It will be comprised of two 500kWh batteries as well as a 750kW power control system and connected to a distribution powerline that provides service to customers in an area of the town bounded approximately by Robert Street East in the south, Hill Top Avenue in the north, Lecarron Avenue in the west and east of Centennial Drive.
Earlier this summer, Dr. Cho, Hwan-Eik President and CEO of KEPCO, and Brian Bentz, President and CEO of PowerStream, signed a Memorandum of Agreement for their two companies to undertake four projects to further the development of smart distribution and micro grid networks in the North American electricity marketplace
"The Penetanguishene Micro Grid is another example of how we continue to work with other innovative companies like KEPCO to implement new technologies for the benefit of our customers and the communities we serve." said Maurizio Bevilacqua, PowerStream Chair and Mayor of the City of Vaughan. "We look forward to furthering the use of this technology in future years."
"As a global leader in the energy industry, we are excited to be PowerStream's partner on this project," offered Dr. Choi, In-Gyu, Senior Vice President, KEPCO Research Institute. "Although we have been involved in the design, construction and commissioning of other Micro Grids around the world, this will be our first in the North American marketplace."
