Phase 2A: Large Load Integration | BYOG Process

Important Dates & Materials

July 13 | Deadline for written feedback

June 26 | Materials posted

June 24 | Stakeholder Session registration and presentation

April 21 | Stakeholder Update (below)

March 25 | Stakeholder Update and materials posted:

Feb. 17 | Stakeholder update and materials posted:

April 21 | Stakeholder Update

The working group was provided with a draft of the front end of the process, including details on load applicability, generator qualification, application submission requirements, tethering agreements, and related terms and conditions. This draft reflected the working group’s discussions to date and was used as the basis for additional meetings held April 13–14 to further refine the approach. The AESO is now incorporating those updates into a revised process draft, which will be published shortly.

For transparency, the draft process shared with the working group is included with this update to provide visibility into the current direction of the work. This draft DOES NOT represent final outcomes and will continue to evolve as discussions progress. While the front end of the process includes significant detail, the AESO is still assessing the most efficient study paths to enable ready-to-proceed BYOG large loads to advance quickly, without creating unnecessary timeline impacts for non-BYOG projects. Additional detail on study paths will be developed and shared in the coming weeks.

The posted draft process also includes comments where a future data centre regulation may affect certain process elements. In fall 2025, the Government of Alberta passed Bill 8, which enables the Minister to make regulations related to data centres. Given the interaction between the BYOG process and this potential regulation, the AESO will release a final process proposal once the regulation is published and the process has been updated accordingly.

Following release of the updated process proposal, the AESO will hold an industry-wide stakeholder session, with opportunities for questions and written feedback. The process will be finalized and implemented after stakeholder input has been considered. The AESO expects this engagement to occur in the second half of Q2 2026.

Purpose

The AESO rolled out Phase I of the Large Load Integration Program on June 4, 2025. Phase I included a 1,200 MW interim large load connection limit and a process for allocating that load among qualified project developers.

Phase II of the Large Load Integration Program is exploring the changes necessary to create the long-term framework for large loads (including data centres) across the AESO’s mandate, including connections, planning, operations, markets, tariff and reliability.

We continue to evolve the design of Phase II engagement, which requires careful planning and coordination. To help shape its scope and direction, we sought stakeholder input on:

  • key questions and related topics to address; and
  • structure and timing, considering the interdependencies with other engagements.

Important Dates & Materials

July 13 | Deadline for written feedback

June 26 | Materials posted

June 24 | Stakeholder Session registration and presentation

April 21 | Stakeholder Update (below)

March 25 | Stakeholder Update and materials posted:

Feb. 17 | Stakeholder update and materials posted:

April 21 | Stakeholder Update

The working group was provided with a draft of the front end of the process, including details on load applicability, generator qualification, application submission requirements, tethering agreements, and related terms and conditions. This draft reflected the working group’s discussions to date and was used as the basis for additional meetings held April 13–14 to further refine the approach. The AESO is now incorporating those updates into a revised process draft, which will be published shortly.

For transparency, the draft process shared with the working group is included with this update to provide visibility into the current direction of the work. This draft DOES NOT represent final outcomes and will continue to evolve as discussions progress. While the front end of the process includes significant detail, the AESO is still assessing the most efficient study paths to enable ready-to-proceed BYOG large loads to advance quickly, without creating unnecessary timeline impacts for non-BYOG projects. Additional detail on study paths will be developed and shared in the coming weeks.

The posted draft process also includes comments where a future data centre regulation may affect certain process elements. In fall 2025, the Government of Alberta passed Bill 8, which enables the Minister to make regulations related to data centres. Given the interaction between the BYOG process and this potential regulation, the AESO will release a final process proposal once the regulation is published and the process has been updated accordingly.

Following release of the updated process proposal, the AESO will hold an industry-wide stakeholder session, with opportunities for questions and written feedback. The process will be finalized and implemented after stakeholder input has been considered. The AESO expects this engagement to occur in the second half of Q2 2026.

Purpose

The AESO rolled out Phase I of the Large Load Integration Program on June 4, 2025. Phase I included a 1,200 MW interim large load connection limit and a process for allocating that load among qualified project developers.

Phase II of the Large Load Integration Program is exploring the changes necessary to create the long-term framework for large loads (including data centres) across the AESO’s mandate, including connections, planning, operations, markets, tariff and reliability.

We continue to evolve the design of Phase II engagement, which requires careful planning and coordination. To help shape its scope and direction, we sought stakeholder input on:

  • key questions and related topics to address; and
  • structure and timing, considering the interdependencies with other engagements.

  • Large Load Integration Feedback - June 26 to July 13, 2026

    Comment Period: June 26 – July 13, 2026

    We value stakeholder input and invite stakeholders to provide their feedback on the materials presented on Large Load Integration Phase 2A: Bring Your Own Generation (BYOG) Process via the following stakeholder feedback form by July 13, at 4:00 p.m. MT. Please be as specific as possible with your responses. Thank you for your input.

    Purpose

    Following our session on June 24, we are inviting written comments from stakeholders that will inform the final design of the BYOG Process, targeted to be rolled out in August 2026.

    When providing feedback, stakeholders are encouraged to be constructive and provide alternatives and solutions to the parts of the process that they disagree with. Please note that the feedback is limited to the AESO’s proposal, as presented, and the Proposed BYOG Process posted with this feedback form.

    Instructions

    1. This feedback is open to all industry stakeholders.

    2. Please fill out the sections below as indicated.

    3. Only one completed feedback form will be accepted per organization.

    4. To upload your completed feedback form:

    • You will need to be registered and signed in on the AESO Engage platform; and
    • You will need to be on the PROJECT page (link to AESO Engage), which can be found on the AESO website at www.aeso.ca and follow the path: AESO Engage (found on very top navigation bar) > Hub > Project; and
    • Click on the "Submit Stakeholder Feedback" box below to upload your completed feedback form.

    All responses are due by July 13, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. MT. and will be shared on AESO Engage in their original format. If you have any questions, please email stakeholder.relations@aeso.ca

    Questions

    Load Applicability and Generator Qualifications

    1. Do you agree with the type and size of loads that the BYOG process will apply to? If not, please explain what loads you feel the BYOG process should or shouldn’t apply to, and why.

    2. Do you agree with the generation types that qualify for BYOG? If not, please explain what other generation or other supply types you feel the BYOG process should apply to, and how those generation or supply types would meet the goals of BYOG.

    3. Do you agree with the ratio for generation to load required for BYOG? If not, please provide an alternative and explain the methodology behind it.

    4. The Data Centre Regulation includes provisions for underutilized facilities. Please provide your feedback on underutilized facilities in relation to the BYOG process.

    a) How would you define an underutilized facility for the purpose of BYOG?

    b) Should the proposed BYOG process apply to underutilized facilities?

    5. Please provide any other comments you have about load applicability, generator qualifications, or the tethering ratio for the BYOG process.

    Project Readiness

    6. Do you agree with the proposed terms and conditions for tethering? If not, please identify any terms you would suggest adding or removing, along with rationale.

    7. Do you agree with the approach taken on the BYOG checklist? If not, please explain what changes you would make, the rationale for those changes, and how they would support the goals of project readiness. Please categorize your changes under headings, like the following:

    a) Changes to the mandatory items

    b) Changes to the scored items

    c) Changes to scoring requirements or approach

    8. Do you agree with the proposed fees and security requirements for the BYOG process? If not, please provide recommended alternatives and explain how they would support the goals of project readiness.

    9. Please provide any other comments you have about project readiness in the BYOG process.

    Execution

    10. Do you agree with the length of the intake window? If not, please explain how long the intake should be and why.

    11. Do you agree with the approach to studies for the BYOG process, including decision points and off ramps? If not, please recommend alternative approaches and explain the rationale for each.

    12. The AESO has proposed that available system capacity for an area is pro rata split when multiple projects are locating in that area and there is a need for system development.

    a) Do you agree that pro rata is an appropriate way to allocate available capacity? Please explain why or why not.

    b) Should the AESO instead implement a tie-breaker approach to allocating available capacity? If yes, please provide suggestions on what suitable tie breakers would be and why.

    c) Please provide any other recommendations for how the AESO should allocated limited system capacity in an area when multiple projects apply.

    13. Please provide any other comments you have about execution of the BYOG process.

    Bridging Option

    14. Do you agree with the 1600 MW bridging limit and the methodology used to determine that limit? If not, please explain how you would arrive at a limit for bridging and why.

    15. Do you agree with the approach for allocating the bridging limit? If not, please provide an alternative allocation methodology and rationale.

    16. Do you agree with the progress milestones required to apply for and retain a bridging allocation? If not, please provide alternate milestones or an alternate approach to progress checkpoints, with rationale.

    17. Please provide any other comments you have about the bridging option in the BYOG process.

    Overall BYOG Process

    18. Are there any other comments on the BYOG process that you would like to provide for the AESO’s consideration?

    Submit Feedback
  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Phase II Pre-Engagement Survey | Sept. 26 - Oct.15, 2025

    We value stakeholder input and invite you to provide feedback on the design of our engagement for Phase II of Large Load Integration. Respond to this survey by October 15, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. MT. Please be as specific as possible with your responses. Thank you for your input.

    Instructions

    1. This feedback form is open to all industry stakeholders.
    2. Please respond to the questions as indicated.
    3. Only one completed feedback form will be accepted per organization.
    4. To submit your responses:
    • You will need to be registered and signed in on the AESO Engage platform; and
    • Click on the "Submit Stakeholder Feedback" box below to respond to the survey.


    All responses are due by October 15, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. MT. and will be shared on AESO Engage in their original format. If you have any questions about the survey, email stakeholderrelations@aeso.ca.

    Questions

    1. Do you agree with the AESO’s stated objectives for Phase II (enable as much load as possible within reliability guardrails, develop clear and efficient pathways to connection, explore opportunities for innovative grid partnerships)?
    2. Should there be different or additional objectives for Phase II?
    3. Do you agree with the key questions and related topics for Phase II laid out in the latest Data Centre Update?
    4. Rank the following topics from the latest Data Centre Update in order of priority. (1=top)
    5. Explain why you ranked the topics in that order.
    6. Are there other questions, topics or issues that should be considered?
    7. What interdependencies with other AESO or policy initiatives could challenge Phase II?
    8. Rank the following engagement formats according to which will provide the most efficient and meaningful participation for this engagement. (1=best)
    9. Are there any other comments you would like to share in advance of the Phase II engagement?
Page last updated: 26 Jun 2026, 04:17 PM