FirstLight has executed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) for the 57.2MW Fort Frances Solar Project, which will be built on the site of the company’s long-established Fort Frances Generating Station hydropower facility in northwestern Ontario.

The project is being developed in partnership with Lac Des Mille Lacs First Nation.

The agreement follows the project’s contract award through Ontario’s Long-Term 2 (LT2) procurement process and supports the province’s plans to add new clean electricity supply to meet rising demand.

“The signing of this Power Purchase Agreement represents a major milestone for the Fort Frances Solar Project and formalizes its role in bringing new solar generation online in Ontario,” said Justin Trudell, President and CEO of FirstLight. “In partnership with Lac Des Mille Lacs First Nation, we’re proud to advance a project that will deliver reliable, cost-effective clean energy to the grid while creating lasting value for the community.”

The Fort Frances Solar Project was one of 14 projects selected by the IESO under the LT2 procurement programme. Together, the projects represent more than 1,300MW of new clean electricity supply for Ontario.

The project expands FirstLight’s long-standing presence in Fort Frances, where the company and its predecessors have operated the 13.1MW Fort Frances Generating Station on the Rainy River for more than a century. The hydroelectric facility was originally built in 1909.

“We are proud to continue to leverage our global expertise here, in Canada. The Fort Frances Solar Project is a strong example of what we can achieve as a committed investor in the Canadian power sector,” said Andrew Alley, Managing Director and Global Head of Infrastructure Investments at PSP Investments. “We’re thrilled to see FirstLight and Lac Des Mille Lacs First Nation recognized for their contribution to Ontario’s electricity supply objectives – these are exactly the success stories that reflect the quality of our teams and the strength of our partnerships.”

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