Op-ed: Evolugen moving BESS to South March

Dear West Carleton and South March Communities,

At Evolugen, we take great pride in being a part of the communities where we work and live. Your voices are not just heard — they guide us. Over the past months and moving forward, we’ve engaged with many of you regarding the proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in West Carleton/South March. The concerns we heard primarily were the proximity of the original site to residential areas, not enough engagement, and a perceived lack of benefits for the host community and local grid.

We’ve listened and will continue to listen.

We are pleased to share news of our selection of a new BESS site, just off Marchurst Road. We have partnered with local landowners whose families have occupied their land for three generations, and who are committed to working with us to build a project that is safe and of significant benefit to the local community. The new site is further from residential areas, and our agreements with these landowners ensure we return their land to its original state at the end of the term. This decision reflects our commitment to balancing the needs of the energy grid with the concerns and well-being of the community. While this decision increases costs for the project, we felt this was an essential investment into respecting your input and earning your trust. Additionally, we’ve moved onto a transmission line that connects directly into the South March substation, which serves local households and businesses.

With this change, we remain committed to an annual $250,000 Community Development Fund in West Carleton/South March to support community programs, small businesses, not-for-profits, volunteer fire departments, schools and other community groups — as well as contributions to the municipality through property taxes and development charges. We want to hear your feedback on this fund and are open to incorporating your ideas.

We know we are not perfect, but we are deeply committed to doing better — for you and for West Carleton.

Moving forward, we pledge to keep communication open, transparent and collaborative. We want to ensure that as this project progresses, it continues to reflect the values and priorities of West Carleton and South March. To that end, we look forward to engaging with our neighbours and sharing additional information about the project, including upcoming community engagements to further solicit your feedback and input, and the launch of our new website, GetChargedOttawa.ca, that will serve as a hub for key information.

Thank you for your patience, input and continued engagement. Together, we can build a future that not only sustains but strengthens our community.

Sincerely,
Geoff Wright.
Head of Development – Evolugen (BRP)