As the recipient of the Mission Innovation Green-Powered Future International Collaboration Grant (GPFM), Alectra has taken on the role of the North American flagship project under the MI GPFM’s “5 Demos in Five Continents” initiative.
This first-of-its-kind grant from Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Innovation Program will showcase world-class Canadian innovation globally – supporting Alectra to share the successes and learnings from “Centricity: Empowering Customers in Future Grid Evolution (2030),” to collaborate with international partners, and to raise their profile and expand their networks.
Strategic Area
Smart Grid and Energy Storage
Status
Active
Partners
Deloitte Inc.
Oakville Enterprises Corporation (OEC)
Ontario Energy Association
Electricity Distribution Association
Electricity Canada
Smart Grid Innovation Network (SGIN)
University of Toronto Mississauga
Fund
Energy Innovation Program
Year
2025
Agreement Value
$6,000,000
Project Total
$20,570,957
Location
ON
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Lead Proponent
Alectra Utilities Corporation
Project Objectives
The objective of this project is to transform the distribution grid electricity customers of Alectra Utilities Corporation into active electricity system participants by developing and demonstrating a distribution-level electricity market.
Expected Results
This project aims to:
- Set a technical and financial precedent for similar size electric utilities in developing their business beyond poles and wires.
- Allow electricity customers a new revenue stream, reducing electric bills for certain customers, and better utilization of existing system assets. This avoids expensive system capacity upgrades.
- Demonstrate the potential of the electricity distribution system in a future electric system.
- Lay the groundwork for a more reliable and resilient electricity system.
- Allow operating insights for electricity regulators, specifically in writing new electricity market rules.
- Provide data and experience on customer behaviour. This is significant for the Canadian electricity sector as electric load continues to grow.
- Allow better integration of distributed energy resources such as electric vehicles and solar photovoltaic.