Transferred Frequency Response Procurement

As a Balancing Authority with a balancing area that is part of the Western Interconnection, the AESO has adopted variants of many of the reliability standards that are broadly in use throughout the Western Interconnection. Among them is the BAL-003-WECC standard, which requires the AESO to maintain a level of frequency response commensurate with the size of our balancing area, as determined by the North American Electricity Reliability Council (NERC). 

Balancing authorities can mutually agree to report their frequency response as a group. This type of sharing is helpful because frequency response varies based on system conditions, and sharing frequency response moderates the compliance risk arising from performance variation. The AESO is a member of the Western Frequency Response Sharing Group (WFRSG). 

The Alberta Interconnected Electric System does not have sufficient frequency response by itself to meet the requirements of WFRSG membership or NERC. Balancing authorities in this situation are permitted to contract with other balancing authorities to transfer frequency response. Therefore, the AESO is seeking to procure transferred frequency response from one or more other balancing authorities (or authorized sellers). 

Transferred frequency response does not affect the physical performance of the Alberta system. Instead, it creates an obligation for another balancing authority within the interconnection to provide frequency response on behalf of Alberta. Transfers allow Alberta to make a fair and equitable contribution to the overall frequency response of the interconnection despite a deficiency in physical response within the balancing area. 

The Request for Proposals stage opens on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, and the submission deadline is Monday, June 10, 2024 at 3:30 p.m. MDT. To request a copy of the RFP document or for more information, place contact procurement@aeso.ca.