Market Renewal Newsletter - January Update
January 18, 2024
January 2024 Updates
The Market Renewal Program (MRP) newsletter will now be focusing on information related to Market Participant Readiness Activities in support of the launch of MRP in 2025. The newsletter will feature information on testing, training and stakeholder engagement activities. Visit the MRP Readiness section to learn more about our Readiness Program.
Market Participant Testing
Register for Kick-off meeting for MRP Connectivity Testing
The first phase of Market Participant Testing, Connectivity Testing, will begin on January 29, 2024. Connectivity Testing allows Market Participants to verify that they are able to log in and connect with the applications and interfaces that are available in the test environment. Market Participants are highly encouraged to participate to ensure that they are ready for the next phase of testing which will start in July 2024.
The IESO will host a kick-off meeting on January 22, 2024 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to provide more information on this test phase. Market Participants can register for the event through this form.
Market Participant Test Plan Posted
The Market Participant Test Plan is now available on the Market Renewal webpage. The Test Plan provides an overview of the different test phases, the applications that are in scope during each phase, and what Market Participants should do to prepare for system testing. For a complete list of contact roles that Market Participants will require in order to execute their test cases, please refer to the List of Online IESO Contact Roles Needed for Market Participant Testing on the Market Renewal webpage.
Reminder to Register for qTest
qTest is a tool that the IESO will be using for Market Participants to review and execute tests, log issues and potential defects, and report on testing progress. To participate in testing and gain access to qTest, Market Participants must contact the IESO’s Customer Relations team at customer.relations@ieso.ca. This request must be completed by an Applicant Representative, Authorized Representative, Rights Administrator or Primary Contact of your organization. For more information on qTest, please refer to the MRP Market Participant Test Plan.
Release of the Second batch of New and Updated Schema, Sample and Help Files for IESO Reports
The second batch of schema, sample and help files for revised and new market and system reports are posted on the Technical Reference Materials section of the Market Renewal webpage. It is recommended that Market Participants verify that they can view and download these reports and confirm that the structural changes in these files can be accepted by their internal processes and systems before the Market Renewal Program goes live in May 2025. If you experience any issues accessing these files, please contact the IESO’s Customer Relations team at customer.relations@ieso.ca.
Release of the Market Information Manual (MIM) Web Services Toolkit and User Guide
The updated MIM Web Services Toolkit (MWT) and its accompanied User Guide can be downloaded from the Technical Reference Materials section of the Market Renewal webpage. Market Participants can use this version of MWT to test if their API systems can successfully connect and function with the new MIM Sandbox application for MRP.
Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder Feedback Due for Market Power Mitigation Changes
A webinar was held on December 15, 2023, which covered updates to the Market Rules and Market Manuals related to the Market Power Mitigation framework. The clean and redlined versions of the Market Rules and Market Manuals that were mentioned during the engagement session are posted on the Implementation Engagement section of the Market Renewal webpage. Stakeholders can submit questions and feedback to engagement@ieso.ca by January 24, 2024 using the following feedback form.
Training
Registration Now Open for the Market Renewal Program Overview eLearning Modules
The IESO is releasing a series of eLearning Modules that can be accessed and completed online in order to help prepare stakeholders for the launch of Ontario’s renewed markets. These modules will cover processes for nine different resource types and be followed by question and answer sessions. The first four eLearning modules are now available covering:
- Non-Quick Start (NQS) Generator Offer Guarantee resources
- Pseudo Units (PSU)
- Hydroelectric resources
- Energy storage resources
The question and answer sessions for these topics will be held on February 15 and March 6.
To access the eLearning modules, and to register for the question and answer sessions, please contact the IESO’s Customer Relations at customer.relations@ieso.ca with the following information:
- Organization name (name registered with IESO)
- First and Last name
- eLearning Module(s)/question and answer sessions you would like to be enrolled in
Once your request is processed, you will receive an email from “Reach 360” with a link to the IESO eLearning website where you will be prompted to create an account. As new courses are added you may be alerted via email or by regularly visiting the IESO training webpage.
Additional modules covering Price Responsive Loads, Virtual Transactions, Non-dispatchable Loads, Dispatchable Loads and Intertie Transactions will be made available in the coming weeks.
Upcoming Events and Key Dates
January 22, 2024:
Kick-off meeting for Connectivity Testing. Market Participants can register for the event through this form.
January 24, 2024:
Deadline to submit questions and feedback relating to updates to the Market Manuals and Market Rules relating to Market Power Mitigation. Questions and feedback can be submitted using the following feedback form.
January 29, 2024 to May 24, 2024:
Connectivity Testing Window.
Materials to support testing can be found on the Market Participant Testing section of the Market Renewal webpage.