Important Materials and Deadlines
July 23, 2025 | Stakeholder Engagement Session (Hybrid)
July 4, 2025
- Deadline to register for Stakeholder Engagement Session
- Discussion Forum closes
June 18, 2025 | FFR+ Materials posted
Purpose
We are engaging on the procurement of a new ancillary service - Fast Frequency Response Plus (“FFR+”) to meet the requirements outlined in the December 10, 2024 Government of Alberta direction letter, anticipated changes to the Transmission Regulation, and the now-effective ancillary services provisions in the Energy and Utilities Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 52) (together, the “Direction”).
Through this engagement, the AESO is seeking input on the proposed design of FFR+, a new ancillary service intended to procure highly available fast frequency response to support full import flows on the Alberta-British Columbia and Montana-Alberta interties.
Background
The AESO is developing FFR+, a new, highly available ancillary service to provide a near-instantaneous response to arrest frequency decline following an intertie trip. The “plus” reflects that FFR+ is available at all times and may include other grid reliability services that are not procured through a market. The AESO is developing FFR+ in response to the Direction, which requires the AESO to procure ancillary services sufficient to support import flows of up to 800 MW capability of the Alberta-British Columbia intertie (which is expected to increase over time) and up to 300 MW on the Montana-Alberta intertie.
The AESO currently procures FFR through voluntary arrangements that do not guarantee high availability. To meet the new requirements, the AESO is proposing to competitively procure up to 750 MW of highly available FFR+ through commercial contracts.
Next Steps
We will engage with stakeholders on the proposed FFR+ product and procurement design to satisfy the requirements of the Direction while maintaining the sanctity of Alberta’s energy-only market.
The AESO is seeking initial written feedback from industry on
- aspects of the high-level design where additional information may be required, or which should be an area of focus at the upcoming engagement session
- alternative design approaches that may better balance the objectives set out in Section 17.1(2) of the Energy and Utilities Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 52) while satisfying the requirements of the Direction
A hybrid stakeholder engagement session will be held on July 23, 2025 to:
- discuss the proposed product and procurement design branded as FFR+
- seek input on key elements
- share alternative design approaches from industry
- outline the AESO’s intent to include a process with the Alberta Utilities Commission to guide the procurement and product design
Please complete your registration by 4:00 p.m. MT on Friday, July 4.
Discussion Forum | June 18 - July 4, 2025
This series of questions are for stakeholders to consider after reading the Rationale for Ancillary Service Procurement for Intertie Restoration: Fast Frequency Response Plus (FFR+). Responses will help us ensure the engagement session on July 23 is informative and engaging.
This Discussion Forum will be open until 4:00 p.m. MT on Friday, July 4.
Things To Keep in Mind
This public forum serves as a collaborative space where stakeholders can share and discuss their thoughts, suggestions, and creative solutions. To maintain a respectful and constructive environment, it's essential that all content submitted is appropriate and adheres to community guidelines. This ensures that everyone's contributions are valuable and that the board remains a positive and inclusive space for dialogue and innovation. The AESO will use this initial input from stakeholders to finalize our content for the upcoming engagement session.
How to use the Discussion Forum Tool
Important Materials and Deadlines
July 23, 2025 | Stakeholder Engagement Session (Hybrid)
July 4, 2025
- Deadline to register for Stakeholder Engagement Session
- Discussion Forum closes
June 18, 2025 | FFR+ Materials posted
Purpose
We are engaging on the procurement of a new ancillary service - Fast Frequency Response Plus (“FFR+”) to meet the requirements outlined in the December 10, 2024 Government of Alberta direction letter, anticipated changes to the Transmission Regulation, and the now-effective ancillary services provisions in the Energy and Utilities Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 52) (together, the “Direction”).
Through this engagement, the AESO is seeking input on the proposed design of FFR+, a new ancillary service intended to procure highly available fast frequency response to support full import flows on the Alberta-British Columbia and Montana-Alberta interties.
Background
The AESO is developing FFR+, a new, highly available ancillary service to provide a near-instantaneous response to arrest frequency decline following an intertie trip. The “plus” reflects that FFR+ is available at all times and may include other grid reliability services that are not procured through a market. The AESO is developing FFR+ in response to the Direction, which requires the AESO to procure ancillary services sufficient to support import flows of up to 800 MW capability of the Alberta-British Columbia intertie (which is expected to increase over time) and up to 300 MW on the Montana-Alberta intertie.
The AESO currently procures FFR through voluntary arrangements that do not guarantee high availability. To meet the new requirements, the AESO is proposing to competitively procure up to 750 MW of highly available FFR+ through commercial contracts.
Next Steps
We will engage with stakeholders on the proposed FFR+ product and procurement design to satisfy the requirements of the Direction while maintaining the sanctity of Alberta’s energy-only market.
The AESO is seeking initial written feedback from industry on
- aspects of the high-level design where additional information may be required, or which should be an area of focus at the upcoming engagement session
- alternative design approaches that may better balance the objectives set out in Section 17.1(2) of the Energy and Utilities Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 52) while satisfying the requirements of the Direction
A hybrid stakeholder engagement session will be held on July 23, 2025 to:
- discuss the proposed product and procurement design branded as FFR+
- seek input on key elements
- share alternative design approaches from industry
- outline the AESO’s intent to include a process with the Alberta Utilities Commission to guide the procurement and product design
Please complete your registration by 4:00 p.m. MT on Friday, July 4.
Discussion Forum | June 18 - July 4, 2025
This series of questions are for stakeholders to consider after reading the Rationale for Ancillary Service Procurement for Intertie Restoration: Fast Frequency Response Plus (FFR+). Responses will help us ensure the engagement session on July 23 is informative and engaging.
This Discussion Forum will be open until 4:00 p.m. MT on Friday, July 4.
Things To Keep in Mind
This public forum serves as a collaborative space where stakeholders can share and discuss their thoughts, suggestions, and creative solutions. To maintain a respectful and constructive environment, it's essential that all content submitted is appropriate and adheres to community guidelines. This ensures that everyone's contributions are valuable and that the board remains a positive and inclusive space for dialogue and innovation. The AESO will use this initial input from stakeholders to finalize our content for the upcoming engagement session.
How to use the Discussion Forum Tool
