THUNDER BAY — Synergy North, the electricity provider to Thunder Bay and Kenora, has launched a new tool it says will help developers and planners in the two communities.
The company has produced two sets of interactive maps that provide information about present electrical capacity and the potential for new generation.
One set of digital maps offers a high-level view of the grid infrastructure, showing the available electrical load capacity in and around each city.
Another set highlights potential locations for additional capacity in each of the two communities.
In making the announcement Tuesday, Synergy North said the initiative reflects its commitment to supporting growth in Thunder Bay and Kenora.
"These maps will support and drive economic growth...by empowering developers with the tools to identify sites with available electrical capacity for both construction and generation. With no restricted feeders, Synergy North offers the capacity to both fuel expansion and foster sustainable development," said Karla Bailey, vice-president.
According to the Ontario Energy Board, a restricted feeder is a transmission line owned by the distributor that has no additional capacity for connection of generation facilities.
Synergy North said securing electrical capacity early in the planning process is critical for contractors and developers, and the maps serve as a preliminary resource.
But it emphasized this tool is not a substitute for a detailed engineering study.
"Neither map provides real-time data, cost estimates, or information on Distributed Energy Resource (typically smaller generation units located on the consumer's side of the meter, such as rooftop solar units wind generating units, and battery storage) project location, fuel type or size. Instead, they focus on power demand, load capacity and generation capacity, guiding users toward submitting a formal service connection or generation request for more precise assessments and connection costs."
Synergy North said as net-zero goals and the adoption of electric vehicles accelerate, these kinds of tools will become increasingly valuable.
