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    Independent Assessment

    Independent Assessment Overview

    Independent assessments will be conducted for load and reliability projects, and generation and energy storage projects that will inject less than 5 MW of new or additional flow into the Alberta interconnected electric system (AIES).

    Stage 0: Application

    Target Timeline: 2 weeks

    Stage 0 is the initiation stage of the project. In this stage, the market participant requests a new project by submitting a SASR to the AESO. The SASR is reviewed for completeness and the AESO may reach out to the market participant to clarify project information or to discuss project complexity. Upon completion of the review, the SASR is accepted and the project is initiated.

    Stage 1: Scope

    Target Timeline: 8 weeks

    Stage 1 is the scoping stage of the project. This stage includes a project kick-off meeting which begins discussions regarding the Project Plan and Study Scope. The responsibilities and involvement of the AESO, TFO, GFO, market participant, and study consultant are determined for the project.

    • Required Deliverables
      • Project Plan
      • Study Scope
      • Stage 1 PDUP (Connection and BTF projects only)
      • Stage 1 CCD (Contract projects only)
    • Roles and Responsibilities

      AESO

      • Completes Study Scope
      • Reviews Project Plan
      • Reviews PDUP
      • Issues Stage 1 CCD
      • After completing all Gate 1 requirements, the AESO issues a letter acknowledging Gate 1 completion to the market participant

      MARKET PARTICIPANT

      • Submits Stage 1 PDUP
      • Reviews Project Plan and Study Scope

      GFO

      • Reviews Project Plan and Study Scope

      TFO

      • Reviews Project Plan and Study Scope

      INTEGRATED PM

      • Initiates project kick-off meeting
      • Completes Project Plan
      • Coordinates meetings and takes meeting minutes
      • Coordinates deliverables between AESO, market participant, and TFO
    • Additional Information
      • The market participant is responsible for performing the necessary studies for the project and is responsible for all project costs
      • The study consultant and TFO should attend the kick-off meeting
      • Refer to the Project Data Update Package – Instruction Manual (PDUP-IM) for information about the content of the PDUP
      • Contact customer.connections@aeso.ca if you would like an example of a Study Scope

    Stage 2: Assessment

    Target Timeline: 14 weeks

    In Stage 2, engineering studies are completed to assess the connection alternatives or assess the impact of the project on the grid. The study results are reviewed along with cost estimates and a facility design (if applicable), and the AESO selects the preferred connection alternative or confirms the project can proceed.

    • Required Deliverables
      • Engineering Study Results (ESR)
      • OOM or NID-level Cost Estimates (Connection projects only)
      • Environment and Land Use Effects Evaluation, if required (Connection projects only)
      • Facility Design (Connection projects only)
      • SLDs
      • Proposal to Proceed
      • Stage 2 PDUP (Connection and BTF projects only)
      • Stage 2 CCD (Connection projects only)
      • Stage 3 and 4 security to the TFO (Connection projects only)
    • Roles and Responsibilities

      MARKET PARTICIPANT

      • Activates account in the Customer Connections SharePoint Online (SPO) Site and retrieves CEII from the site
      • Submits Engineering Study Results, Cost Estimate(s), Facility Design, SLDs, and Environment and Land Use Effects Evaluation
      • Submits Stage 2 PDUP
      • Provides Stage 3 and 4 security to the TFO

      AESO

      • Uploads CEII to the Customer Connections SPO Site
      • Reviews Engineering Study Results, Cost Estimate(s), Facility Design, SLDs, and Environment and Land Use Effects Evaluation
      • Reviews PDUP
      • Issues Stage 2 CCD
      • Issues Proposal to Proceed
      • After completing all Gate 2 requirements, the AESO issues a letter acknowledging Gate 2 completion to the market participant

      INTEGRATED PM

      • Coordinates meetings and takes meeting minutes
      • Coordinates deliverables between the AESO, market participant, and TFO
    • Additional Information
      • See the Connection Study Requirements for more information about how to perform the engineering studies
      • Ensure the study consultant communicates with the AESO's Study Engineer prior to starting any work and at any time when issues are identified during the study
      • Provide Facility Design, SLDs, and cost estimate(s) as early as possible
      • See the Single Line Diagram (SLD) Guideline for information about the content of the SLDs.
      • Refer to the Project Data Update Package – Instruction Manual (PDUP-IM) for information about the content of the PDUP
      • See Section 504.5 of the ISO rules, Service Proposals and Cost Estimating and the related ID #2015-002R for more information about cost estimates
      • Set up early meetings with the TFO to understand project costs, Stage 3 and 4 security agreements and, for a Market Participant Choice (MPC) project, the Asset Transfer Agreement.
      • Market participants have the option to put a project on hold near the end of Stage 2. Please click here to view ID #2018-018T which contains more information.
    • Acronym Reference
         

      AUC

      Alberta Utilities Commission

      CCD

      Construction Contribution Decision

      CEII

      Critical Energy Infrastructure Information

      DFO

      Distribution Facility Owner

      DTS

      Demand Transmission Service

      ETS

      Energy Trading System

      GFO

      Generation Facility Owner

      GUOC

      Generating Unit Owner’s Contribution

      ISD

      In-Service Date

      MC

      Maximum Capability

      MP

      Market Participant

      NID

      Needs Identification Document

      P&L

      Permit & License

      PDUP

      Project Data Update Package

      SAS

      System Access Service

      SASR

      System Access Service Request

      SLD

      Single Line Diagram

      STS

      Supply Transmission Service

      TFO

      Transmission Facility Owner

    Notes: 

    1. This page is intended to provide an overview of the key deliverables and activities for a typical project as it follows the Independent Assessment. The key deliverables and activities described above may be modified based on the scope and complexity of the project. 
    2. Due to the low complexity and fast pace of Contract Projects, they do not have target timelines, integrated project managers, are not eligible to go on hold, and are not issued letters acknowledging gate completion