Blackstart Service NW Alberta Procurement
Key Dates & Materials
| May 17, 2024 | | Expression of interest deadline (send email to Blackstart@aeso.ca) |
| May 2, 2024 | | AESO Blackstart for NW Planning Region Procurement Draft Requirements_v3 (Updated) |
| May 1, 2024 | | AESO NW Planning Region Transmission Map |
Oct. 8, 2024 | Stakeholder Update
The AESO would like to thank stakeholders who participated in the recent market sounding to inform the Blackstart product and procurement design. The strong level of interest has provided the AESO with the confidence to proceed with a Request for Proposals (RFP) and share an approximate timeline for the next steps.
On October 22, 2024, the AESO will issue a draft Blackstart agreement, which will include updates to the minimum technical requirements and seek stakeholder feedback.
Following a one-month feedback period for the agreement, the AESO expects to launch the RFP for Blackstart service. The AESO expects that the service term could commence on or before mid-2027.
Activity | Timeline |
Draft Blackstart Agreement feedback period | October 22 - November 22, 2024 |
Request for Proposals (RFP) stage commences | December 2024 |
Proposals submission deadline | Late March - 2025 |
Blackstart Service Term Commences | Mid-2027 |
Purpose
The AESO is considering a Blackstart (reliability) Service in the northwest (NW) area of Alberta and is preparing to conduct preliminary market sounding to inform any subsequent procurement process. Any interested party who has an asset, or is expected to have an asset, that could potentially provide Blackstart Services by 2025-2026 in the AESO's NW Planning Region, per the boundary identified in the map below, should review the AESO Blackstart Procurement for Northwest Planning Region: Draft Requirements, which detail the blackstart capabilities the AESO is seeking.
Minimum Requirements*
To provide Blackstart Service in the NW region, assets must:
- be located in the NW area of Alberta (see map below)
- have the ability to self-start the unit without the need for an electrical supply from the grid
- have the ability to close onto a de-energized bus
- be able to energize at least one cranking path, and have sufficient capability to start up at least one transmission-connected generator in the area; this is confirmed by performing engineering studies.
*To view a comprehensive overview of requirements for Blackstart Service, refer to AESO Blackstart for NW Planning Region Procurement Draft Requirements_v3.
Per the AESO NW Planning Region Transmission Map below, and subject to further engineering studies by the AESO, a blackstart resource is likely to be effective if it is located in one of the following planning areas:
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