IPPSA Intelligence

Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO)

Alberta’s electricity sector is undergoing rapid evolution as the system operator advances Fast Frequency Response Plus with revised requirements and plans for a market-based session on May 14. Concurrently, an ISO tariff redesign initiative is soliciting targeted stakeholder feedback on Internal Demand Rates and Tariff Connection Obligations, with deadlines in mid-April shaping rate classes and connection frameworks.

Reliability standards remain a priority, with workshops and written-feedback windows aligning with tariff consultations to bolster grid security amid higher renewable integration.

Fresh annual market statistics, updated through March 31, 2026, offer participants renewed insights for planning and analysis.

Multiple stakeholder sessions, working groups and consultation deadlines underscore the urgency for generators, large customers and developers to influence revenue models, cost allocations and compliance requirements. Engagement via dedicated online platforms and direct contacts ensures transparency and input integration.

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Alberta eyes gas-fired data centres

Alberta is promoting large data centres as a way to add value to its natural gas by converting fuel to power on-site and exporting high-value digital services, framing projects as economic diversification, job creation and “digital sovereignty.” A major Synapse proposal — reported as a roughly $10‑billion complex combining a 1 GW data centre, a 1.4 GW gas‑fired power plant and 1.8 GW of diesel backup — plus other developers pursuing Olds sites, are at early stages of Alberta Utilities Commission and federal review.

Government ministers stress no approvals yet and urge public participation; regulators will assess noise, emissions, water use, grid access and local impacts. Local residents voiced strong concerns about proximity to homes, noise, air quality and consultation gaps.

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Bruce Power and Energy Alberta Collaborate on Peace River Nuclear Project

Bruce Power’s new collaboration with Energy Alberta advances plans to expand Canada’s nuclear capacity, supporting the Peace River Nuclear Power Project now in regulatory planning and targeting a first phase by 2035. Under the agreement Bruce Power will share practical experience, high-level frameworks and lessons learned from feasibility and planning work, accelerating early-stage project development rather than committing to construction.

Drivers cited include a projected surge in electricity demand, concerns about energy security and grid reliability, and commitments to emissions reduction and economic competitiveness. Provincial and industry leaders framed the deal as part of a broader interprovincial strategy to build a national energy corridor that leverages utility expertise.

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SaskPower, Bruce Power Sign MOU to Share Expertise as Saskatchewan Evaluates Large Nuclear Reactors

SaskPower and Bruce Power signed a memorandum of understanding to share operational and project-development expertise as Saskatchewan formally evaluates large nuclear reactor technologies alongside its ongoing small modular reactor work. The MOU, announced April 15, 2026, is intended to accelerate technical and policy assessments by drawing on Bruce Power’s decades of operating CANDU reactors, lessons from its Bruce C planning and renewals program, and experience managing large-site projects that could inform siting, regulatory engagement and long-term operations.

Saskatchewan frames the move as part of an energy-security and economic strategy to secure reliable baseload power for mining, oil and gas, agriculture and potential electricity and critical-mineral exports. The arrangement aims to align provincial and federal nuclear approaches, reduce duplication, and lower planning risks if large reactors are pursued.

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Turning Canada’s Nuclear Ambitions into Reality

Canada's nuclear ambitions have regained momentum, with provinces advancing both small modular reactors (SMRs) and large reactors across Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and New Brunswick. Investors—debt and equity, including pension and infrastructure funds—seek creditworthy, long‑duration revenue streams, construction‑period cost recovery, discontinuance protections and early development cost reimbursement.

Cost overruns remain a central concern, prompting collaborative contracting and explicit allocation of risk. Government finance and policy tools are critical: loans, guarantees, direct equity and RAB‑style mechanisms have mobilized capital internationally and in Canada (Canada Growth Fund, Infrastructure Bank, provincial supports). Indigenous participation and clear waste management and decommissioning frameworks are essential to social license and investor confidence.

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IESO awards just over 1.3 GW

Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator secured just over 1.3 GW of new solar and wind capacity through its Long‑Term 2 (LT2) Energy Window 1 procurement, awarding 12 solar projects (915 MW) and two 200 MW wind projects (≈1,315 MW total) expected to produce more than 3 TWh/year and come online by 2030.

Individual solar sites range from about 9 MW to 200 MW, with four above 100 MW. Each approved project includes at least 50% Indigenous equity ownership, marking a notable shift toward community participation and benefit-sharing. LT2 is one procurement stream toward a broader target of up to 7.5 GW of new supply by 2029; this Window 1 win is a meaningful but partial contribution. The procurement occurs amid a provincial energy plan that prioritizes natural gas and significant nuclear investment, including refurbishments, large new units and small modular reactors, with projections that nuclear could supply over 70% of Ontario’s electricity by 2050.

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Powering Western Canada

Research from the Canada West Foundation highlights strategic energy and infrastructure priorities across Western Canada, emphasizing grid integration, interties, workforce readiness, and carbon‑removal technologies. Reports call for building an interconnected electricity grid and expanding interties to improve reliability, unlock regional trade, and balance variable renewables, noting infrastructure upgrades and coordinated planning as prerequisites.

Workforce analysis flags a generational labour gap in agriculture with implications for energy supply chains and rural electricity demand, stressing training, retention, and policy measures to ensure labor resilience. Multiple papers examine Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS): they tout Canada’s world‑class potential given biomass resources and geological storage, but underline real‑world barriers—costs, technological readiness, land use conflicts, policy certainty, and measurement and verification challenges.

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U.S. Electric Utilities Plan $1.4–$1.5 Trillion Through 2030

U.S. electric utilities plan roughly $1.4 to $1.5 trillion in capital spending through 2030, a program PowerLines finds is about 20% larger than last year’s plans and concentrated heavily in the U.S. South, which accounts for roughly half of projected investment. PowerLines reviewed investor earnings calls from more than 50 utilities and reports that about half of planned outlays target grid upgrades, including transmission and distribution lines, roughly 30 percent target generation, and the balance is uncategorized.

Utilities cite rising electricity demand, an aging grid and extreme weather such as wildfires and storms as primary drivers. Because many utilities are regulated, capital costs can be recovered through rate cases; utilities requested a record 31 billion dollars in rate increases last year, and large spending programs therefore risk higher power bills for households and businesses.

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Virginia Data Center Backlash

A recent article highlights a sharp shift in public sentiment toward data centres in Virginia, where support for new developments has dropped from 69% in 2023 to just 35% in 2026, according to a recent poll. This decline coincides with the collapse of a major multi-gigawatt project, reflecting growing resistance driven by concerns over land use, environmental impacts, and infrastructure strain.

Despite Virginia being a global hub with over 4,900 MW of data centre load, opposition has intensified, with dozens of projects delayed or cancelled and increasing political pressure to restrict further development. For the electricity industry, the story underscores a growing tension: while data centres drive massive load growth and investment, they are increasingly seen as contributors to rising electricity demand, costs, and grid stress.

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Point Lepreau Nuclear Proposal

New Brunswick faces a pivotal choice after the NB Power Review recommended a planning‑assessment for a new large reactor at Point Lepreau, shifting away from earlier SMR efforts that spent roughly $130 million without securing investors. A 1,000‑MW‑class unit is estimated at $15–$26 billion based on recent vendor pitches and international projects; historic builds illustrate frequent cost overruns and complexity.

Recovering capital through rates could push retail power into the mid‑20¢ to >40¢/kWh range while financing from provincial coffers could add billions annually, exceeding New Brunswick’s existing deficit and crowding out other public priorities. Passing costs to ratepayers would deepen NB Power’s roughly $6 billion debt; provincial financing risks recreating Ontario Hydro–style fiscal stress. A single large reactor concentrates supply and financial risk, may undermine affordability and competitiveness, and could impede equitable decarbonization and electrification if electricity becomes unaffordable or funds are diverted from other clean‑energy measures.

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IPPSA's mission is to convene industry, providing information, resources, and a forum for knowledge sharing, and to create opportunities for dialogue, collaboration, and education. This newsletter is meant to inform members but not advocate for specific outcomes. We always appreciate your feedback at info@ippsa.com.