Funding for Participation in REM Engagements

Important Dates & Materials

December 15 | Stakeholder Update posted (below)

October 20 | Materials posted

October 1 | Deadline for Submission of Costs Claims

August 27 | Notice of Completion of REM Design Engagements

December 15 | Stakeholder Update

The AESO is currently finalizing revisions to the proposed REM ISO rules in response to stakeholder feedback and anticipates the Government will create the regulation required for Ministerial approval of the REM ISO rules soon.

In its engagement materials, the AESO advised stakeholders that it would post revisions to the proposed REM ISO rules, together with the responses to stakeholder feedback, in December 2025. However, the AESO is now advising stakeholders that the revised REM ISO rules and response to feedback will instead be posted early in 2026, after the regulation for approval of the REM ISO rules has been released. At the same time, the AESO will release other supporting documents, including the third party report it has commissioned from ECCO International for an independent evaluation of the REM ISO rules with the REM final design.

For those market participants previously deemed eligible for Funding for Participation in REM Engagements, the posting of the REM ISO rules will mark the completion of stakeholder engagement. Once posted, eligible market participants will have 30 days to provide supporting documentation described in the AESO Process - Funding for REM Engagement Participation.

Purpose

The AESO will provide limited funding market participants, or associations of market participants (to a maximum of $50,000 per market participant) to enable their ongoing participation in the AESO’s stakeholder engagements on the market design and ISO rules for the restructured energy market (the REM Engagements).

We understand that some market participants may not have sufficient funds to support their ongoing participation in the REM Engagements. The resulting market design and ISO rules will not initially be subject to an Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) proceeding and approval process, through which similar funding would otherwise be available.

Background

Consistent with direction from the Government of Alberta, the AESO began to solicit stakeholder feedback on a design for the REM in March of 2024, with a goal of creating a robust market design to ensure that Alberta’s electricity framework remains affordable, reliable, investable and sustainable for generations to come.

In December 2024, the Government of Alberta announced that it would bring forward the necessary policy tools to allow the initial set of ISO rules required for the REM to be enacted via legislation. Under this approach, the REM design and rules would be initially approved by Government and will not initially be subject to consideration or approval by the AUC.

To date, the AESO has completed several rounds of in-person and virtual information sessions, design sprints, design finalization sessions, and written feedback to progress and finalize the REM design. At each stage of the engagement, participation from a broad range of stakeholders from across the province and industry has been critical. The AESO understands that participation in the REM Engagements has been time and resource-intensive, and that certain stakeholders may be unable to continue their involvement in the REM Engagements for financial reasons.

The AESO will encourage ongoing stakeholder participation in the REM Engagements by supporting eligible market participants with this funding.

Important Dates & Materials

December 15 | Stakeholder Update posted (below)

October 20 | Materials posted

October 1 | Deadline for Submission of Costs Claims

August 27 | Notice of Completion of REM Design Engagements

December 15 | Stakeholder Update

The AESO is currently finalizing revisions to the proposed REM ISO rules in response to stakeholder feedback and anticipates the Government will create the regulation required for Ministerial approval of the REM ISO rules soon.

In its engagement materials, the AESO advised stakeholders that it would post revisions to the proposed REM ISO rules, together with the responses to stakeholder feedback, in December 2025. However, the AESO is now advising stakeholders that the revised REM ISO rules and response to feedback will instead be posted early in 2026, after the regulation for approval of the REM ISO rules has been released. At the same time, the AESO will release other supporting documents, including the third party report it has commissioned from ECCO International for an independent evaluation of the REM ISO rules with the REM final design.

For those market participants previously deemed eligible for Funding for Participation in REM Engagements, the posting of the REM ISO rules will mark the completion of stakeholder engagement. Once posted, eligible market participants will have 30 days to provide supporting documentation described in the AESO Process - Funding for REM Engagement Participation.

Purpose

The AESO will provide limited funding market participants, or associations of market participants (to a maximum of $50,000 per market participant) to enable their ongoing participation in the AESO’s stakeholder engagements on the market design and ISO rules for the restructured energy market (the REM Engagements).

We understand that some market participants may not have sufficient funds to support their ongoing participation in the REM Engagements. The resulting market design and ISO rules will not initially be subject to an Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) proceeding and approval process, through which similar funding would otherwise be available.

Background

Consistent with direction from the Government of Alberta, the AESO began to solicit stakeholder feedback on a design for the REM in March of 2024, with a goal of creating a robust market design to ensure that Alberta’s electricity framework remains affordable, reliable, investable and sustainable for generations to come.

In December 2024, the Government of Alberta announced that it would bring forward the necessary policy tools to allow the initial set of ISO rules required for the REM to be enacted via legislation. Under this approach, the REM design and rules would be initially approved by Government and will not initially be subject to consideration or approval by the AUC.

To date, the AESO has completed several rounds of in-person and virtual information sessions, design sprints, design finalization sessions, and written feedback to progress and finalize the REM design. At each stage of the engagement, participation from a broad range of stakeholders from across the province and industry has been critical. The AESO understands that participation in the REM Engagements has been time and resource-intensive, and that certain stakeholders may be unable to continue their involvement in the REM Engagements for financial reasons.

The AESO will encourage ongoing stakeholder participation in the REM Engagements by supporting eligible market participants with this funding.

  • Stakeholder Updates

    August 27, 2025

    Notice of Completion of REM Engagements and Deadline for Submission of Costs Claims

    The AESO is notifying market participants who are eligible for funding that the AESO’s engagement on the REM design closed today (August 27, 2025). Eligible market participants have until Wednesday, October 1 at 4:00 p.m. MT to submit their Costs Claim Form with invoices and receipts to receive funding.

    The AESO will disburse funding to eligible market participants who provide the summary and supporting documentation described in the Funding Process within 30 days of submission.

    As outlined in the AESO Process - Funding for REM Stakeholder Engagement Participation, eligible market participants may also apply to receive funding for participation in the AESO’s upcoming REM ISO rules engagement.

    Accordingly, eligible market participants who do not apply for funding by the October 1 deadline, or who wish to claim funding for their participation in the upcoming REM ISO rules engagement, will have an opportunity to do so upon completion of the REM ISO rules engagement in December.

    Please email stakeholderrelations@aeso.ca with any questions and to submit your forms and receipts.

    May 14, 2025

    We received feedback from ADC, AFREA, the CCA, CanREA, IPCAA, and Voltus regarding the proposed funding process for the REM Market Design and ISO rules engagement. All confirmed the need for funding from the AESO to support their continued participation. The submissions have been consolidated and published.

    Highlights from the submissions include:

    • A request to increase the funding cap per participant from $50,000 to $100,000, but the AESO considers $50,000 sufficient to ensure more participants can access funding.
    • Requests for funding to address costs already incurred; however, the AESO does not find retroactive funding appropriate, as the REM technical design is ongoing and future engagement opportunities remain.
    • A request for guaranteed funding, advance funding, and a review of the reasonableness of claimed costs, but the AESO does not view it as suitable to assess participation costs. Instead, a $50,000 cap, adherence to established Alberta Utilities Commission Rule 022: Rules on Costs in Utility Rate Proceedings, with a process for partial funding after the engagement on the REM Technical Design is complete, then again after the Rules consultation is complete, to address ongoing needs.

    We have reviewed the feedback, appreciate the inputs provided, and encourage any interested market participants (or associations of market participants) to apply for funding. The funding process will proceed as initially proposed. The application form is now available.

    The period for market participants or other associations to apply for funding is May 15 to May 26, 2025.

Page last updated: 16 Dec 2025, 01:31 PM