IESO Response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak
March 12, 2020
Amid growing concerns about the Coronavirus outbreak, the IESO has implemented controls to ensure the reliable operation of the Ontario electricity grid and minimize risks to its employees and stakeholders.
- Effective immediately, the IESO is not accepting visitors at its three facilities, located in Mississauga, Oakville and downtown Toronto. Where possible, on-site meetings and events will be conducted through webinars or conference calls.
- The IESO has already moved its external stakeholder engagement activities, including Regional Electricity Forums, the Stakeholder Advisory Committee, Marketplace Training and the Technical Panel, to conference calls or webinars. Registration information for these meetings has been updated on the website and noted in this bulletin to reflect this change.
- Actions have also been taken within the IESO’s facilities to protect staff, including increased cleaning practices, limitations to business travel and between IESO locations, as well as cancelling in-person participation in conferences and speaking engagements.
“As part of our responsibility to manage the province’s power system, we are monitoring and assessing the risks associated with this outbreak – and we will continue to take all necessary precautions to protect staff and system operations,” said Peter Gregg, IESO President and CEO. “We also stay in close contact with sector partners here in Ontario, as well as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and the Electric Subsector Coordinating Council, to ensure a coordinated response across the provincial and North American grids.”
“I’d like to thank our partners and stakeholders for their patience and co-operation as we implement these measures,” he added.
The IESO will continue to monitor the spread of the outbreak, consulting with local health authorities, and will communicate as needed.
Please contact customer.relations@ieso.ca if you have any questions.