Frequently Asked Questions - Connection Assessments
The IESO uses DSA and PSSE tools to conduct SIA studies. The IESO request generic dynamic models for all resources, including load projects with large motors. Information about the models accepted by IESO can be found in Section 5.6 of Market Manual 1.6: Performance Validation. Additionally, for inverter based resources and loads the IESO requests Electromagnetic transient (EMT) models.
For the contingencies, please visit Section 2.7 of Ontario Resource and Transmission Assessment Criteria.
The IESO is not using an “interconnection queue”, instead it adopted the concept of “committed projects” that is defined in Section 3.3 of Market Manual 1.4: Connection Assessment and Approval. As such, there is no option to “skip the interconnection queue”, each assessment follows the timelines described in Section 5.8 of Market Manual 1.4: Connection Assessment and Approval. The concept of “expedited” projects, as explained in Section 6 of Market Manual 1.4: Connection Assessment and Approval, applies to projects that require only a simple assessment, and, consequently, are likely to be experience reduced timelines.
The treatment of new renewable generation facilities is no different than any other new facility, the normal System Impact Assessment (SIA) process applies to the connection of all generation facilities, renewable or non-renewable, equally. To initiate the connection process, please follow the guidelines in Chapter 5 of Market Manual 1.4: Connection Assessment and Approval.
Please refer to Ontario Resource and Transmission Assessment Criteria (ORTAC) for the assessment criteria.
You’ll need to complete Form 128 and send it via email to connection.assessments@ieso.ca to initiate the SIA process. The form shows what information is required to initiate the SIA process. Upon receipt of your application one of our assessment engineers will work closely with you through the SIA process and request any additional information if needed. The IESO also offers pre-consultation meeting to support the connection applicant preparing the SIA application.
For more information about the Connection Assessment and Approval process, please refer to Market Manual 1.4: Connection Assessment and Approval.
Please complete and send Form 128 to connection.assessments@ieso.ca to initiate the SIA process. Select “Generation and Electricity Storage facility” for the “type of project”.
For registering an exiting embedded facility to provide Operating Reserve (OR) please refer to Market Manual 1.5: Market Registration Procedure. To initiate the IESO’s Market Registration process please sending an email to market.registration@ieso.ca.
The IESO does not enter NDA for pre-SIA discussions. The treatment of confidential information by the IESO is governed under section 5 of chapter 3 of the Market Rules and Market Manual 2.14: Information Confidentiality Catalogue. Please also note that the IESO is subject to FIPPA, so any information that is provided to the IESO without its appropriate confidentiality classification might be disclosed if a request is filed under FIPPA.
Upon request by the client, the IESO can hold pre-consultation to discuss the connection of the potential projects considering the client can provide high level information such as project type, in service date, project size, location and proposed connection point, etc. Please note that the customer must agree with the owner of the transmission line the project will be connecting to, i.e., the transmitter, on the connection point and arrangement before submitting a formal SIA application.
In addition to the applicable NERC and NPCC regulatory requirements, a battery will have to meet all applicable performance requirements listed in Appendix 4.2 and 4.3 of the Market Rules, the applicable requirements of Ontario Energy Board’s (OEB) Transmission System Code (TSC) and any additional requirements that are identified during the mandatory System Impact Assessment (SIA), described in Market Manual 1.4, and the transmitter’s Customer Impact Assessment (CIA) per section 6.4 of the TSC. The IESO works closely with connection applicants and transmitters during the SIA/CIA and Market Registration processes to ensure that all applicable requirements for connection are met and all necessary system upgrades are available before a new project is placed in service.
As for when a project is identified as committed, the IESO requests information from connection applicants with projects that have completed the SIA but are not in service yet twice a year. Connection applicants are encouraged to notify the IESO via email at connection.assessments@ieso.ca as soon as they completed the milestones needed for their project to achieve the “committed” status.
For more information about obtaining the “committed” status, please refer to Section 3.3 of Market Manual 1.4: Connection Assessment and Approval.
Once a project has achieved the “committed” status it will remain on the list as a “committed” project until it is placed in service or withdrawn by its connection applicant. Once a project is in service the “committed” status becomes irrelevant for that project and the “Yes” in the “Committed” column will be removed (same will be done for projects that have been “withdrawn” by their connection applicants”).
The application status webpage is typically updated on a monthly basis. At that time, any projects which became committed since the last webpage update have their “Committed” column updated to reflect their new committed status.
As per Appendix B of Market Manual 1.4, an SIA is not required for certain like-for-like replacements of existing equipment, owned by market participants, provided the equipment that is subject to the like-for-like replacement qualifies and meets the specific equipment requirements and the general requirements in the appendix.
The requirement to follow the CAA process, which requires the IESO to complete either SIA or E-SIA study, is governed by Section 2 of Market Manual 1.4. If in doubt, connection applicants are encouraged to contact the IESO for clarification at connection.assessments@ieso.ca.
The IESO can only release load flow base cases. Please reach out to IESO Customer Relations at IESOCustomerRelations@ieso.ca for such inquires.
As per the Section 5.4 of Market Manual 1.4, the CAA application form must be signed by an authorized representative of the connection applicant. For connection applicants that are existing market participants, this authorized representative should be registered in Online IESO, and for connection applicants that are not market participants, the form must be signed by an authorized representative of the connection applicant that has the authority to bind the organization.
The required deposit depends on the type of the project as per the Section 5.5 of Market Manual 1.4, which is $40,000 CAD for transmission facilities, $30,000 CAD for generation and electricity storage facilities connected to IESO-controlled grid, and $20,000 CAD for most of the other cases. The connection applicants should submit the required deposit only after the IESO assigns a unique CAA ID after receiving the SIA application form, as per the instructions given by the IESO in the email assigning the CAA ID.
The SIA does not provide final approval to connect. When completed, SIA provides the connection applicant with an SIA/ESIA report and Notification of Conditional Approval (NoCA) or a Notification of Disapproval with Reasons (NoDR). The connection applicant is required to complete Authorize Market and Program Participation and Register Equipment of the Connecting to Ontario’s Power System process in order to connect and participate in one or more of the IESO-administered markets. During these stages, connection applicants will be required to demonstrate to the IESO that all requirements identified in the SIA report have been satisfied.
For projects connecting to distribution system, the connection applicant should be the distributor, and, in addition to other relevant information, the distribution system Connection Impact Assessment should be submitted together with SIA application form at the time of application initiation.