Ontario to create battery backup system for Eglinton Crosstown rail route

Ontario is partnering with electricity provider Toronto Hydro to build a battery energy storage system for the future Eglinton Crosstown light-rail line.

The system will be capable of providing backup and emergency power to the line for up to four hours in the event of a widespread power outage, Ontario government officials said in a press release.

The system will replace the province's previous plan to build a natural gas facility in Toronto's Mount Dennis neighborhood to power the light-rail line. Residents in the area had expressed concerns about building the plant, the Toronto Star reported.

"Through partnership and collaboration, Metrolinx and Toronto Hydro have arrived at an innovative a solution that will ensure the reliability of service of the Eglinton Crosstown [light-rail] line, and also respect the concerns of the Mount Dennis Community," said Bruce McCuaig, president and chief executive officer of Metrolinx.

The battery system is expected to increase the Eglinton Crosstown line's reliability, lower operating costs and reduce emissions.

The 11.8-mile line is scheduled for completion by 2021 and will connect the Mount Dennis area in the west with Kennedy Station in Toronto. The route will feature a 6.2-mile underground tunnel in its central section.