2026 Capacity Auction Timelines
June 11, 2026
Each year, in the pre-auction period, the IESO releases a Capacity Auction Timelines document outlining key milestone dates and activities that must be completed for prospective Capacity Auction Participants to participate in the auction. The 2026 Capacity Auction Timelines document has now been posted to the Capacity Auction webpage. As per this document, the 2026 Capacity Auction will be held from Wed. Nov. 25 to Thurs. Nov. 26.
The annual Capacity Auction continues to be an important component of the IESO’s Resource Adequacy Framework, bringing value to Ontario ratepayers while serving as an additional revenue opportunity for existing, non-committed demand response, generation, energy storage and capacity import resources. Capacity suppliers who secure an obligation in one or both of two six-month obligation periods (summer and winter) can receive a payment, based on the auction clearing price, for making their capacity available in the energy market during a window of hours on each business day.
For any questions related to participating in the upcoming 2026 Capacity Auction, please email capacity.auction@ieso.ca.