The IESO hosted a meeting on July 21 to discuss technical issues affecting LRP II with a focus on the connection testing process and assumptions. The agenda and presentation for the session are available from the IESO website.
The IESO also hosted a separate discussion after the technical session to discuss opportunities to procure additional generation resulting from technological upgrades and optimization of existing renewable energy facilities. This was included in the June 10, 2016, direction from the Minister of Energy. The IESO is interested in receiving feedback on the types of technologies that could be considered for inclusion in LRP II, procurement considerations for these technologies, contract considerations and any other relevant information.
Both sessions were open to all interested participants.
In a related development, the IESO posted the initial connection availability tables for the Large Renewable Procurement (LRP) II on July 19. They provide a preliminary view of where capacity to connect an LRP project may be located and are intended as an early resource for developers. The IESO plans to update these tables several times before LRP II proposals are due, and stresses the tables are subject to change.
The main updates from the previous versions from LRP I are twofold: First, at this time, there is no connection capacity available in the Northeast or West of Chatham areas. Second, there is some additional capacity now available in the Bruce area. There is also limited connection capacity on the higher-voltage (transmission) circuits in many areas in southern Ontario. This assessment may change as the tables are updated through the process.
Because capacity has been identified as being available in a particular location does not mean that a project will be developed in that location. It is very early in the LRP II process, and there are still many steps required, including community engagement, to determining where LRP II projects will be successfully developed.
Feedback on the LRP I process from stakeholders and communities has been collected and posted on the IESO website. The IESO has responded and explained how the feedback on the LRP I Request for Qualifications (RFQ) has resulted in changes to the draft LRP II RFQ. Feedback on the draft LRP II RFQ has also been received, and the final LRP II RFQ, along with IESO responses to this feedback, were posted on July 29.
The IESO has also received feedback from stakeholders and communities on the subsequent request for proposals (RFP) stage, including where LRP projects could be sited, community engagement requirements and how the proposal evaluation process could be changed. This feedback will be considered in developing the draft LRP II RFP, which is expected to be posted for review and comment by January 2017.
For more information see this link to the IESO’s LRP page.