Phase 2A: Large Load Integration | BYOG Process

Important Dates & Materials

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

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.
Page last updated: 22 Apr 2026, 01:54 PM