Welcome to this week's edition of IPPSA Intelligence! |
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Alberta Electric System Operator |
AESO June Stakeholder Calendar: FFR, FTRs, REM, Large Load, and Tariff Reviews All Active Market & Regulation The AESO published its June stakeholder schedule, with near-term deadlines including a June 12 RFP deadline for Transferred Frequency Response procurement, a June 11 feedback deadline for GRIP Requirements, and a June 15 in-person session on Financial Transmission Rights. Looking further out, sessions on Market Power Mitigation for energy storage and hydro (June 22), the REM IT Systems Working Group (June 23), Large Load Integration Phase 2 BYOG (June 24), and Fast Frequency Response Plus (June 25) round out a busy month. The AESO also released Service Provider Registration and Terms and Conditions documents for Market-Based FFR, moved Rate DOS applications to Adobe Workfront effective June 15, and opened feedback on internal demand rate design options through June 26. |
Alberta's Nuclear Engagement Panel Delivered 82% Net Support — and a Template Worth Studying Nuclear A commentary by Marco Navarro-Génie of the Frontier Centre for Public Policy reviews the April 2026 findings of Alberta's Nuclear Energy Engagement and Advisory Panel. Of nearly 6,000 survey respondents, 67% strongly supported nuclear development and 15% were somewhat in support; 81% agreed nuclear would help keep electricity costs low and improve grid reliability. The panel — chaired by Parliamentary Secretary Chantelle de Jonge and deliberately composed to include an NDP-era minister and an Indigenous energy executive — ran a two-phase process that educated the public before measuring sentiment. The 82% net support provides meaningful political backing for SMR development in Alberta, where baseload demand is rising. |
Alberta NDP Launches Affordability Platform with 10% Electricity Bill Cut as Lead Commitment Economic & Finance Naheed Nenshi and the Alberta NDP unveiled the Alberta Affordability Agenda in Calgary, anchored by a promise to cut electricity bills by 10%. Other commitments include increasing the minimum wage to $18 then indexing it to inflation, removing the 13¢/L provincial gas tax while prices remain high, introducing a grocery watchdog, and eliminating junk fees. Shadow Minister for Affordability and Utilities Kyle Kasawski framed the package as a direct response to cost-of-living concerns. The electricity cut pledge puts retail power pricing squarely into the 2027 election conversation and signals opposition intent to intervene in market outcomes. |
Minister Glubish Expects Gigawatt-Scale Data Centre Construction Announcements in Alberta This Summer Generation & Infrastructure At the Global Energy Show in Calgary, Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish said Alberta should see gigawatt-scale data centre construction announcements later this summer — projects he described as having permits complete, financing in place, and 12 to 18 months to first campus operations. Alberta's stated target is $100 billion in data centre investment by 2030. Beacon Data Centers SVP Wes Cullum cited $760 billion in combined 2026 data centre investment by Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet globally, with McKinsey projecting close to $7 trillion by 2030. The government's position is clear: proponents must bring their own generation or bear grid costs, directly relevant to how new load integrates with Alberta's competitive market. |
World Geothermal Congress Comes to Calgary, Spotlighting Alberta's Deep Thermal Resource Renewables Calgary hosted the World Geothermal Congress, marking the first time the event has been held in North America. Industry representatives at the conference described global interest in Alberta's geothermal potential as higher than ever. Alberta's sedimentary basin geology, combined with existing oil and gas drilling expertise, positions the province as a credible candidate for commercial geothermal development. |
SaskPower Completes C$275M E.B. Campbell Hydro Refurbishment, Extending 294 MW Station Life by 50 Years Generation & Infrastructure SaskPower finished a C$275 million refurbishment of the E.B. Campbell Hydroelectric Station — Saskatchewan's largest hydro facility at 294 MW — after a multi-year program that began in 2021. The project upgraded turbines, generators, and intake systems to improve efficiency and allow more output from the same water volume. Building a new facility with equivalent capacity would cost roughly C$4 billion, making the refurbishment straightforwardly cost-effective. The project generated approximately $13.7 million in Indigenous and local employment and procurement. For Alberta, the comparison is instructive: Saskatchewan is locking in low-cost, long-life hydro capacity while Alberta pursues SMRs and data centre generation to meet rising demand. |
Bruce Power Unit 3 Refurbishment Completed Ahead of Schedule and Under Budget Oil & Gas Bruce Power successfully completed the Unit 3 refurbishment on June 8, 2026, returning the reactor to Ontario’s grid more than seven months ahead of schedule and under budget. The project, which began in March 2023, involved replacing all 480 fuel channels, 960 end fittings, and 8 steam generators, extending the unit's operational life by over 30 years. Notable for utilizing fully robotic tooling on a CANDU reactor face for the first time, the project's efficient execution returned approximately $150 million to Ontario ratepayers. This milestone marks the halfway point of Bruce Power's broader $13 billion Life-Extension Program to refurbish Units 3–8. |
IESO CEO Lesly Gallanger Announces Retirement Other Lesley Gallinger is retiring from her role as President and CEO of the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) in mid-2026. Following a five-year tenure where she steered Ontario's grid through a period of significant demand growth and record procurements, she will transition to a new position as a Board Director at Ontario Power Generation (OPG). |
IPPSA's Mandate 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. |
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