Transmission Must-Run Services

Important Materials and Deadlines

July 15, 2025 | Update and materials posted

April 25, 2025 | 3:30 p.m. Submission Deadline *extended

March 6, 2025 | TMR RFP Release

March 4, 2025 | Bonfire registration open and materials posted:

Update - July 15, 2025

The AESO has completed the Transmission Must-Run (TMR) procurement process for the Grande Prairie planning area and has awarded a commercial agreement.

The Market Surveillance Administrator (MSA) confirmed that both the Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) and the Request for Proposals (RFP) stages were contestable. The AESO conducted a two-stage competitive procurement in accordance with Appendix B of the ISO Tariff. Proposals that met the completeness and eligibility requirements were evaluated and ranked based on their fixed price bids. We selected the successful proponent by considering fixed price bids, proposed contract volumes, and forecasted conscription to determine the lowest overall program cost.

The TMR agreement commenced on July 1, 2025, for a three-year term, with two optional six-month extensions.

This procurement was overseen by a Fairness Advisor at every stage to ensure the competition was administered in a fair and transparent manner, and adhered to all confidentiality requirements, policies and guidelines.

Read the Fairness Advisor’s report for the 2025 TMR procurement.

Procurement Timeline


Purpose

The AESO will be running a procurement process for Transmission Must-Run (TMR) Services. TMR is generation that is required to be online and operating at specific levels in parts of the province's electricity system to compensate for insufficient local transmission infrastructure relative to local demand. TMR is used to ensure reliability until adequate transmission infrastructure is built in that local area.

Given the location-specific nature of TMR, only specific units in Alberta may be eligible to provide it. The AESO may enter into a contract with these units when long-term requirements for TMR are identified.

Background

Ancillary Services (AS), like TMR, keep the transmission system running reliably and securely. AS are procured by the AESO in a fair, open, efficient, and competitive manner to the extent that a procurement is contestable between market participants.

The AESO has identified a foreseeable need for TMR in the Grande Prairie region and is initiating a procurement to enter into a commercial agreement for TMR in the region.

Important Materials and Deadlines

July 15, 2025 | Update and materials posted

April 25, 2025 | 3:30 p.m. Submission Deadline *extended

March 6, 2025 | TMR RFP Release

March 4, 2025 | Bonfire registration open and materials posted:

Update - July 15, 2025

The AESO has completed the Transmission Must-Run (TMR) procurement process for the Grande Prairie planning area and has awarded a commercial agreement.

The Market Surveillance Administrator (MSA) confirmed that both the Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) and the Request for Proposals (RFP) stages were contestable. The AESO conducted a two-stage competitive procurement in accordance with Appendix B of the ISO Tariff. Proposals that met the completeness and eligibility requirements were evaluated and ranked based on their fixed price bids. We selected the successful proponent by considering fixed price bids, proposed contract volumes, and forecasted conscription to determine the lowest overall program cost.

The TMR agreement commenced on July 1, 2025, for a three-year term, with two optional six-month extensions.

This procurement was overseen by a Fairness Advisor at every stage to ensure the competition was administered in a fair and transparent manner, and adhered to all confidentiality requirements, policies and guidelines.

Read the Fairness Advisor’s report for the 2025 TMR procurement.

Procurement Timeline


Purpose

The AESO will be running a procurement process for Transmission Must-Run (TMR) Services. TMR is generation that is required to be online and operating at specific levels in parts of the province's electricity system to compensate for insufficient local transmission infrastructure relative to local demand. TMR is used to ensure reliability until adequate transmission infrastructure is built in that local area.

Given the location-specific nature of TMR, only specific units in Alberta may be eligible to provide it. The AESO may enter into a contract with these units when long-term requirements for TMR are identified.

Background

Ancillary Services (AS), like TMR, keep the transmission system running reliably and securely. AS are procured by the AESO in a fair, open, efficient, and competitive manner to the extent that a procurement is contestable between market participants.

The AESO has identified a foreseeable need for TMR in the Grande Prairie region and is initiating a procurement to enter into a commercial agreement for TMR in the region.

  • Update | March 4, 2025

    The AESO, in consultation with the Market Surveillance Administrator (MSA), has determined that the Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) is contestable and will proceed with issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) as the next step.

    • Opens: March 6, 2025
    • Closes: April 15, 2025, at 3:30 p.m. MT

    Following the evaluation of proposals, a successful bidder(s) will be selected in late Q2 2025.

    The RFP stage will be managed through a procurement site called Bonfire (Bonfire Site). Representatives from each market participant will be able to access the RFP documents and participate in the TMR service procurement competition through the Bonfire Site. To gain access and participate in the RFP, a representative from each interested party will need to register and execute a Bonfire Site Access and Participant Agreement. Please refer to the information above and use the links provided to access the associated documents.

  • Update | Jan. 15, 2025

    The REOI opened on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 and will close at 3:30 PM (MT) on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. The REOI stage seeks to identify market participants who are interested in competing for a commercial agreement to provide TMR in the Grande Prairie region of the province and for the AESO to assess the qualifications of those interested market participants. Participation in the REOI stage is strongly encouraged for respondents that may wish to participate in in Stage 2 of the procurement.

    After the REOI stage, the AESO will consult with the Market Surveillance Administrator (MSA) to determine contestability:

    • If contestable: The process will advance to the RFP stage, where eligible proponents will be evaluated in a fair and transparent manner. Evaluation criteria will be provided during the RFP stage, and successful proponent(s) will enter into a Final TMR Agreement with the AESO.
    • If non-contestable: The AESO may move directly to a Bilateral Negotiation stage, as outlined in Appendix B of the ISO Tariff.

    This structured approach ensures that the procurement process remains efficient, transparent, and aligned with market oversight requirements.

Page last updated: 15 Jul 2025, 01:49 PM