WaterCharger is a proposed 180 MW/180 MWh Battery Energy Storage System located in the province of Alberta currently under development. WaterCharger is expected to be the largest battery energy storage project in Alberta and will enhance the reliability and sustainability of the Alberta electrical grid. The project will utilize lithium iron phosphate battery technology to store surplus electricity and dispatch at times of peak demand as well as provide reliability services to the grid.
The project is led by TransAlta, an Alberta-based leader in clean electricity, and will be situated near its existing Ghost hydroelectric facility near Cochrane, Alberta. The project will occupy an area of approximately nine acres and will comprise modularized equipment blocks that can be easily installed and maintained.
The WaterCharger project helps address the reliability needs of the system associated with increasing intermittent generation by providing the fast and flexible response capabilities the grid needs. The project will complement TransAlta’s diversified fleet across Alberta, enabling the company to provide the province with the new technologies required to maintain a reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity system.