Completed Engagements

The Market Development Advisory Group (MDAG) which will support IESO efforts to evolve the Ontario electricity market, beyond the Market Renewal Program, to cost-effectively ensure reliability in the near and longer terms.

The Energy Storage Advisory Group will perform an advisory role to support and assist the IESO in evolving policy, rules, processes and tools to better enable the integration of storage resources within the current structure of the IESO-administered market. 

The Ontario energy market is emerging from a sustained period of surplus conditions, and is beginning to see a capacity need take shape. With supply conditions tightening, the IESO sees an opportunity to review and challenge the existing thinking and approach to adequacy assessments. There is a balance to be struck between being appropriately conservative in the approach, while also considering value to ratepayers. This review effort will entail examining the specific areas mentioned with the NPCC Reliability Standard, Directory 1 (Design and Operation of the Bulk Power System).

An Integrated Regional Resource Plan (IRRP) for the East Lake Superior region has been posted. Regional electricity planning happens at least every five years and engaging with communities and stakeholders is critical to the process. Subscribe on the IESO’s website and select “East Lake Superior” to receive future updates. The IESO’s Northeast Regional Electricity Network will also be a forum to keep interested parties engaged on local developments, priorities and planning initiatives in between planning cycles. Join the Network and discussions on IESO Connects. More information about how engagement shaped this East Lake Superior IRRP can be found on the engagement web page.

The IESO established the DRWG in 2014 to assist in the evolution of DR from a contracted resource into the energy market, as well as to inform the development of pilots and the DR Auction Stakeholder Engagement. Following the completion of the first Demand Response Auction, the IESO sought to refocus the DRWG to an open membership forum with an enduring advisory role.

The IESO was asked to review and report back on ways to improve billing and settlement processes for market participants. The IESO is seeking feedback from stakeholders as we conduct this review. The scope of this engagement is on final monthly invoices to settle the physical electricity markets issued by the IESO pursuant to the market rules.

Multiple engagements will be discussed over the course of these meeting dates, grouping engagements by topic to maximize stakeholder participation and create linkages and information sharing across initiatives. Participants can participate in all discussions or elect to participate in only some.

Multiple engagements will be discussed over the course of these meeting dates, grouping engagements by topic to maximize stakeholder participation and create linkages and information sharing across initiatives. Participants can participate in all discussions or elect to participate in only some.

The IESO seeks feedback from stakeholders on the design of a pilot auction for procuring energy efficiency. Specific pilot learning objectives are to assess the interest and ability of different sectors to participate, discover the price for energy efficiency when competition for delivery is enabled, and gain a better understanding of various implementation issues.

The IESO is seeking input to review and improve the Energy Support Programs currently offered by the IESO for First Nation and Métis communities and organizations in Ontario. These programs promote participation in Ontario’s energy sector by supporting community energy planning and renewable energy project development, as well as the building of energy knowledge and awareness, and skills related to energy projects.

Through this engagement, the IESO will explore market development options to enable further resource participation in the operating reserve and energy markets. This engagement began as a Market Development Advisory Group work plan initiative.

Multiple engagements will be discussed over the course of these meeting dates, grouping engagements by topic to maximize stakeholder participation and create linkages and information sharing across initiatives. Participants can participate in all discussions or elect to participate in only some.

Through this engagement, the IESO will seek feedback from stakeholders on the research and analysis required to determine whether there is a net benefit to electricity ratepayers if demand response resources are compensated with energy payments for economic activations.

Multiple engagements will be discussed over the course of these meeting dates, grouping engagements by topic to maximize stakeholder participation and create linkages and information sharing across initiatives. Participants can participate in all discussions or elect to participate in only some.

Multiple engagements will be discussed over the course of these meeting dates, grouping engagements by topic to maximize stakeholder participation and create linkages and information sharing across initiatives. Participants can participate in all discussions or elect to participate in only some.

The IESO is launching a new engagement initiative on the development of a Planning Outlook. The Planning Outlook is part of our efforts to build transparency into our planning processes by providing updated information to the market to enable more informed decisions. There will be opportunities in the engagement to provide feedback on components of the Planning Outlook and for the sector to learn more about IESO planning processes.

Multiple engagements will be discussed over the course of these meeting dates, grouping engagements by topic to maximize stakeholder participation and create linkages and information sharing across initiatives. Participants can participate in all discussions or elect to participate in only some.

Multiple engagements will be discussed over the course of these meeting dates, grouping engagements by topic to maximize stakeholder participation and create linkages and information sharing across initiatives. Participants can participate in all discussions or elect to participate in only some.

Multiple engagements will be discussed over the course of these meeting dates, grouping engagements by topic to maximize stakeholder participation and create linkages and information sharing across initiatives. Participants can participate in all discussions or elect to participate in only some.

Multiple engagements will be discussed over the course of these meeting dates, grouping engagements by topic to maximize stakeholder participation and create linkages and information sharing across initiatives. Participants can participate in all discussions or elect to participate in only some.

Multiple engagements will be discussed over the course of these meeting dates, grouping engagements by topic to maximize stakeholder participation and create linkages and information sharing across initiatives. Participants can participate in all discussions or elect to participate in only some.

An Integrated Regional Resource Plan (IRRP) for York Region has been posted. Regional electricity planning happens at least every five years and engaging with communities and stakeholders is critical to the process. Subscribe on the IESO’s website and select “GTA North” to receive future updates. The IESO’s GTA/Central Regional Electricity Network will also be a forum to keep interested parties engaged on local developments, priorities and planning initiatives in between planning cycles. Join the Network. More information about how engagement shaped this York Region IRRP can be found on the engagement web page.

The IESO and the Ontario Energy Board will be conducting an integrated electricity and natural gas conservation achievable potential study (APS) to be completed by June 2019. The study will identify and quantify energy savings (electricity and natural gas), GHG emission reductions and associated costs from demand side resources for the period from 2019-2038. An Advisory Group will be established to help develop the study.

The ICA Project will develop an enduring market-based mechanism that will secure the capacity needed to ensure Ontario’s resource adequacy needs are met cost effectively. The IESO encourages all stakeholders in Ontario's electricity sector, or their representatives, with an interest in this initiative to participate in this engagement.

An Integrated Regional Resource Plan (IRRP) for Hamilton Sub-Region has been posted. Regional electricity planning happens at least every five years and engaging with communities and stakeholders is critical to the process. Subscribe on the IESO’s website and select “Burlington to Nanticoke” to receive future updates. The IESO’s GTA/Central Regional Electricity Network will also be a forum to keep interested parties engaged on local developments, priorities and planning initiatives in between planning cycles. Join the Network. More information about how engagement shaped this Hamilton Sub-Region IRRP can be found on the engagement web page.

Regional electricity planning is underway for the Toronto region. As part of this process, an Integrated Regional Resource Plan (IRRP) is expected to be completed in early Q3 2019. This engagement initiative will provide interested parties with an opportunity to learn more about electricity planning activities undertaken for the Toronto region and offer input for consideration into the recommendations that will be outlined in the IRRP.

The IESO seeks feedback on a draft Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) that will examine different Power to Gas (P2G) technologies available and their applications, as well as their associated technical and operational characteristics. Through this initiative, the IESO will also identify options for pilot projects.

The IESO is seeking input on the development of a program, the Renewable Distributed Generation Integration (RDGI) Fund, that will support innovative renewable distributed generation demonstration projects in order to gain direct experience with the integration of distribution energy resources, refine methodologies for assessing value, and to inform the evolution of grid systems, processes, and practices.

The IESO is planning to review and report on the technical criteria used to assess customer reliability and supply security in order to identify and evaluate options for local area enhancements.

The IESO is working with stakeholders to design and develop a financially-binding Day-Ahead Market that will provide market participants with price certainty ahead of real-time, increase operational certainty for both market participants and the IESO, and reduce out of market payments.

The IESO is working with stakeholders to design and develop an Enhanced Real-Time Unit Commitment (ERUC) program that will improve the efficiency of unit commitments in the intra-day timeframe by taking into account all resource costs in commitment decisions. ERUC will also improve commitment decisions overall by optimizing over multiple hours rather than solving for each hour independently.

The IESO invites stakeholders to participate in and provide feedback on the design and development of a single-schedule energy market. This initiative will consider fundamental market design issues and changes; it will be of interest to all IESO market participants and related stakeholders.

The IESO has developed an innovation roadmap to facilitate an internal and external dialogue on the evolution of Ontario’s electricity and broader energy sector as it relates to IESO’s mandate. The roadmap identifies the key challenges and opportunities facing the IESO in preparing for this change.

This engagement provides opportunities to enhance and evolve the structure of IESO governance and decision-making and its application to market evolution initiatives, IESO processes, as well as oversight on market rules and manuals. This engagement may result in a proposal for an alternative framework to the IESO Board of Directors for approval. An Advisory Group will be established to inform recommendations taken to the IESO Board.

The Data Strategy Advisory Council was a committee of representatives within Ontario’s electricity sector and other sectors as applicable, appointed by the IESO, to provide input in the review and development of products and processes for the implementation of third party access to the data with the province’s Meter Data Management/Repository (MDM/R).

In its role as the Smart Metering Entity (SME) for Ontario, the IESO sought input to inform an implementation plan that provides interested third parties access to de-identified meter data available in the province’s Meter Data Management/Repository (MDM/R).

The 18-Month Outlook provides an assessment of the reliability of Ontario’s power system over the short term. The IESO is seeking feedback from the report’s users on the content, presentation and format of the quarterly publication.

The IESO is seeking feedback from stakeholders regarding its proposal to use extreme weather conditions to assess planned outages that affect resource adequacy. The proposed changes are expected to increase accuracy in the way the IESO conducts planned outage scheduling.

The Interchange Enhancement project is aimed at improving the efficiency of interchange scheduling. Stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on proposed changes to the process for submitting e-Tags.

The IESO is seeking input on proposed changes to the Program and Systems program, currently offered through the Conservation First Framework and the Industrial Accelerator Program.

The IESO is investigating the potential to allow Ontario generators to export their capacity to other jurisdictions. All stakeholders, or their representatives are invited to provide input into the process to establish the rules and protocols that would enable opportunities for market participants with generating capacity not required for Ontario’s reliability requirements to earn revenue by exporting this capacity. This initiative will be of specific interest to stakeholders who are interested in being able to offer their capacity in external capacity markets.

This Request for Information (RFI) was issued by the IESO to assist in the gathering of information required to better understand how non-emitting resources can participate in current and future IESO markets in order to contribute to a reliable electricity system in Ontario, today and tomorrow.

The IESO is seeking input to inform the mid-term review of the conservation framework which includes the 2015 to 2020 Conservation First Framework and Industrial Accelerator Program. The review will focus on energy savings targets, budgets, progress, lessons learned and alignment with Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan. This engagement initiative is open to all interested parties and is supported by a third party consultant as well as a Mid-Term Review Advisory Group.

The IESO is seeking input to review and propose options to improve Energy Support Programs currently offered by the IESO for First Nations communities and Métis in Ontario.

The IESO is seeking input on the development of a draft Report intended to provide options to improve future conservation programming for First Nations communities and Métis in Ontario. Leveraging the feedback received from First Nation Communities, this engagement initiative will provide all interested parties with an opportunity to provide input for consideration into the development of the Indigenous Conservation Programming Report.

The IESO has identified an emerging need for the ability to schedule resources capable of responding within a short time frame in order to manage forecast uncertainty in the real-time energy market. The IESO will engage with stakeholders to explore a range of potential solutions for enhanced flexibility in the electricity system.

The IESO is seeking feedback from all interested parties on its overall approach to the development of an Implementation Plan to deliver nine specific initiatives in the 2017 Long-Term Energy Plan. The Implementation Plan will outline the context, engagement scope and objectives, estimated timelines and identify deliverables for each of the nine directed initiatives and is to be submitted to the Minister of Energy by January 31, 2018.

The IESO’s regional planning process has identified the recommendation to investigate opportunities for a DR pilot in the Brant area. The IESO expects to post a draft Request for Proposals for this pilot in early Q4 2016 and will engage stakeholders to solicit feedback. This engagement will be of particular interest to stakeholders with an interest in demand response.

The IESO has formed this working group to get feedback on the Dispatch Service (formerly called message exchange) refresh project. Stakeholders are asked to give input on matters relating to the redesign, transition, implementation schedule and key milestones of the Dispatch Service refresh.

The IESO is seeking feedback on a draft executive compensation framework.

The Industrial Accelerator Program (IAP )has been extended to December 31, 2020 to give customers continued opportunity for energy savings as Ontario works towards achieving the province’s long–term energy targets. The IESO is making changes to enhance the IAP design elements to improve the customer experience in the program and to streamline administration to encourage greater participation from eligible customers.

The IESO is proposing a new cost recovery framework which will clarify and increase the transparency for market participants of costs eligible to be submitted for recovery under the Real-Time Generation Cost Guarantee (RT-GCG) program. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on a high-level design document including the proposed process and recoverable costs, identify any issues or barriers with implementing changes, and provide input into the development of a detailed design document.

The IESO is consulting with intervenors and interested parties as it develops its 2017 Revenue Requirements submission. This engagement is intended to inform and provide early opportunities to advise the IESO regarding its submission to the Ontario Energy Board.

The IESO has initiated a stakeholder consultation to review the current design of the IESO's Transmission Rights (TR) market.

In collaboration with Local Distribution Companies (LDCs), the IESO is implementing a Conservation & Demand Management Information Solution (CDM-IS), a system capable of providing the functionality necessary for the management and administration of Conservation & Demand Management programs.

Beginning in 2016, the IESO held a series of consultations with stakeholders on the rationale, scope and set of initiatives which should be included under the program and developed the Market Renewal Engagement framework. During this time, the IESO also worked with stakeholders and its consultant on the development of a benefits case for market renewal (completed in April, 2017).

Since that time, stakeholder consultations on Market Renewal have evolved and take place within engagements focused on specific initiatives.

The IESO is looking for stakeholder feedback to help shape an internal review of the Interim Market Document Change (IMDC) Process used to introduce a change to a market facing document (e.g. market manuals) between two baseline publication dates.

The IESO seeks input to inform the design of a province-wide whole home pilot project for residential consumers as part of the Conservation First Framework.

The IESO invites stakeholders to provide input into the design for a capacity auction that will help meet the future resource needs of Ontario's electricity system and provide flexibility for new and existing technologies to compete in the marketplace.

This working group will help inform and advise the IESO to develop an implementation plan to meet requirements of the Ontario Energy Board’s Decision which requires the Smart Metering Entity (SME) to begin collecting additional information associated with each smart meter by January 1, 2017.

The IESO is seeking input from stakeholders on a proposed provincial Energy Manager Program aimed at promoting the availability of energy managers to help support the objectives of the Province's 2015 to 2020 Conservation First Framework.

As part of a regular review conducted on a three year cycle, the IESO is launching a 2016 engagement to review the current real-time market prudential framework. In order to begin the 2016 Prudential Review, the IESO is asking stakeholders to provide their views and feedback on the current framework.

The IESO is conducting a review of its generation guarantee programs including elements of the Real-Time Generation Cost Guarantee (RT-GCG) and Day-Ahead Production Cost Guarantee (DA-PCG). The review will consider the effectiveness of aspects of these guarantee programs from a cost, as well as an operational effectiveness and economic efficiency perspective.

This Working Group was formed to assist in the development of the 2016 Achievable Potential Study which is now available.

The IESO seeks input to inform the design and implementation of a pay-for-performance program for multi-distributor consumers as part of the Conservation First Framework.

The IESO is redesigning it outage management process and tools to enhance outage-related services to market participants, as well as better align the IESO's process with its interconnected neighbours. The intent of the consultation is to ensure that those market participants who submit outage information to the IESO have an opportunity to provide feedback and input in the process redesign.

This working group gives feedback on the MPI/API replacement refresh project relating to the redesign, transition, implementation schedule and key milestones.

This engagement discusses the proposed changes to adequacy reporting and the information published in a number of key IESO reports and will seek input from stakeholders on the path forward. Participation is open to all stakeholders, particularly market participants, stakeholders or service providers that retrieve data from System Status Reports, System Adequacy Assessment, and Adequacy Reports, among others.

This engagement considers the effectiveness and role of the peaksaverPlus Program and seeks input as to how best to move forward with the program in the near term.

This engagement seeks input to inform changes to the way that the IESO and local distribution companies (LDCs) settle approved costs associated with implementing the Conservation First Framework.

Forms, Generator Information Submittal Form (1223) and Generator Information Submittal Form for 18-Month Outlook (1230) are reviewed with intent of creating one simplified form for submitting generator information to the IESO.

This engagement discusses the changes, workplan and timeline of the project to refresh the IESO reports site.

Through this initiative, stakeholders are able to provide input into the design, development and implementation of a demand response auction for Ontario, as well as identify barriers to participation.

This engagement focuses on the testing and implementation of facility registration within Online IESO.

This initiative invests how to enhance the value of the data set within Ontario’s Meter Data Management and Repository (MDM/R), including the development of rules and protocols for data access by third parties.

This initiative provides the broader stakeholder community an opportunity to learn about and provide input to the coordination of gas and electricity resources.

This engagement focuses on design, testing and implementation of changes to settlement meter data applications.

The purpose of this engagement was to share the results of the IESO’s review of floor prices for variable generation, including additional research on the marginal cost of wind and solar manoeuvring and shutdown, as well as assessing the impact on market operations.