Nova Scotia Grid-Scale Batteries
RELATIONSHIP
SECTOR
The Nova Scotia Grid-Scale Batteries project is a major energy storage initiative involving three separate 50 MW, four-hour battery storage facilities in White Rock, Bridgewater, and Waverley. The project is led by Nova Scotia Power in collaboration with WMA and supported by the Canada Infrastructure Bank. It is described by CIB as Atlantic Canada’s largest planned energy storage project and as the first project supported through CIB’s Indigenous Equity Initiative.
The three facilities are intended to help Nova Scotia’s electricity system store power during off-peak periods and release it when demand is higher. This matters because battery storage helps the grid manage more renewable energy, respond quickly to changing demand, and maintain reliability as the province moves away from coal-fired electricity. Nova Scotia Power identifies three key benefits of the battery facilities: fast response to unplanned grid disturbances, safe and clean energy during peak demand, and the ability to introduce and enable more renewable energy.
For WMA and the 13 Mi’kmaw communities, the project is significant because it creates an equity participation arrangement tied to major clean energy infrastructure. CIB’s financing includes an equity loan to WMA, supporting Indigenous participation in the project and helping long-term benefits flow to Mi’kmaw communities. Nova Scotia Power states that WMA and NS Power shaped an investment arrangement that enables Mi’kmaw communities to participate as equity partners in relation to the project.
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Related Partners
- Wskijinu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency Ltd.
- Nova Scotia Power Inc.
- Canada Infrastructure Bank
- Natural Resources Canada
- PCL, as a construction-related party noted in NS Power updates
- Local municipalities and communities connected to White Rock, Bridgewater, and Waverley
Key Facts & Media
- Three separate 50 MW, four-hour battery storage facilities
- Sites located in White Rock, Bridgewater, and Waverley
- CIB committed $138.2 million to support the project
- CIB financing included up to $120.2 million for Nova Scotia Power and up to $18 million as an equity loan to WMA
- First CIB Indigenous Equity Initiative investment
- Designed to store electricity during off-peak periods and release it when needed
- Expected to support Nova Scotia’s coal phase-out and 80% renewable electricity target
- NS Power states two of the three facilities, Bridgewater and Waverley, are now part of daily grid operations, with the third Valley site expected to be operational in August 2026
Project Partners
Canadian Infrastructure Bank (CIB)
Canada Infrastructure Bank is a federal Crown corporation and infrastructure investor that provides repayable financing for revenue-generating infrastructure projects across Canada.
Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NSPI)
Nova Scotia Power is Nova Scotia’s primary electric utility, providing electricity generation, transmission, distribution, grid reliability, and customer service across the province.
Wskijinu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency Ltd.
Wskijinu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency Ltd. is the economic development organization owned by Nova Scotia’s 13 Mi’kmaw communities, created to advance shared business opportunities and long-term prosperity for the Mi’kmaw Nation.
Natural Resources Canada
Natural Resources Canada is a federal department responsible for Canada’s natural resources, clean energy, energy efficiency, clean fuels, and related climate and resource-sector programs.
CIB and Nova Scotia Power partnered with WMA to deploy Atlantic Canada’s largest energy storage facility. The project consists of three separate 50 MW, four-hour battery storage facilities in White Rock, Bridgewater, and Waverley. The Spring 2025 newsletter described the project as a significant step toward economic reconciliation, with long-term financial and environmental benefits for Mi’kmaw communities.
The battery facilities are designed to draw and store electricity during off-peak hours and release it back into the grid when needed. Construction began in 2024 and was expected to continue through 2026, with the first site expected to be operational in 2025.
By Fall 2025, the Grid-Scale Battery Project had reached a major milestone. All 84 battery containers and 32 power inverters had been delivered to the Bridgewater and Spider Lake sites. Crews were completing cabling and preparing for commissioning.
At White Rock, civil work continued, with substation construction expected to begin soon. Over the following two months, commissioning was expected to begin at Bridgewater and Spider Lake, E-House units were expected to arrive at both sites, and substation work at White Rock was expected to get underway.
The project continued to be framed as a key part of Nova Scotia’s clean energy transition, supporting the phase-out of coal, enabling more wind and solar on the grid, and providing reliable backup power during peak demand.