Feed-in Tariff (FIT)

Ontario’s Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Program is designed to support the development of renewable energy supply in the province.

The IESO, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) and the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), along with transmitters and distributors, are coordinating their efforts to enable renewable energy to be brought into service more quickly and efficiently.

Generation projects larger than 10 megawatts (MW) connecting to the distribution system and all generation projects connecting directly to the IESO-controlled grid are required to apply for a System Impact Assessment and a Customer Impact Assessment through the IESO. The IESO and transmitter together will take no longer than 150 days after the application is deemed complete, to provide an assessment of whether the project can proceed with the next phase of development.

Here you will find information about the process of connecting FIT projects to the electricity grid.

With the launch of the FIT program on October 1, 2009, program applicants must have a FIT contract in place before they can apply for an impact assessment.

Projects that have already applied for an impact assessment and intend to apply for a FIT contract must rescind their original impact assessment. To rescind your impact assessment, please submit a Notification of Withdrawal: www.ieso.ca/forms/1073. A follow-up by fax or courier is not required.

Deciding whether your project is connected through the distribution system or IESO-controlled grid depends on a few factors, including the voltage of the system.

• If your generation project plans to connect to a system owned by an OEB-licensed distributor (generally below 50 kV), then your project is considered to be distribution-connected.
• If your generation project plans to connect to a system owned by an OEB-licensed transmitter (generally above 50 kV), then your project is considered to be IESO-controlled grid connected.

An applicant that plans to connect to a distribution system must:

• Have an executed OPA contract in place.
• Apply for an impact assessment with the local distribution company (LDC).
• The LDC will then apply for a System Impact Assessment (SIA) from the IESO, if the project is larger than 10 MW.
• Determine if you need to register with the IESO (see below).

An applicant that plans to connect to the IESO-controlled grid must:

• Have an executed OPA contract in place.
• Submit the applicable renewable energy facility application for a System Impact Assessment (SIA) and a Customer Impact Assessment (CIA).
• Renewable Energy Generation Facility application for Hydro One Networks Inc. (form 1706)
• Renewable Energy Generation Facility application for Great Lakes Power Transmission Inc. (form 1707)
• Application for Canadian Niagara Power (CNP) - to be provided
• Application for Five Nations Energy Inc. (FNEI) - to be provided
• Register with the IESO (see below).

The IESO will use the SIA to determine the impact to the grid. The transmitter will perform a CIA to determine the extent to which the project impacts other transmission-connected customers. Please note that a new SIA Agreement is available. The Scope of Work for renewable projects will be inserted into the SIA Agreement.

For more information see the overview diagram of the IESO's Connection Assessment and Approval process.

An applicant who has received a completed System Impact Assessment will need to register with the IESO by completing the registration process at least eight months before the project’s energization date. Registration includes the followings tasks:

• Participant Registration
• Facility Registration
• Meter Registration

For a project planning a connection to the IESO-controlled grid, all three tasks will need to be completed. For a project planning a connection to a distribution system, only some of the registration tasks may be required.

Please contact the IESO at market.entry@ieso.ca for further assistance. The IESO will then assign a project manager to assist you in completing the Market Entry process.

The Guide to Market Entry provides a comprehensive overview of the IESO’s Registration process. The Market Entry process overview also offers a visual guide to the steps involved in registering with the IESO.

As market participants, facility owners/operators will be subject to a number of operating obligations and market rule requirements. Your project manager will help you understand these requirements as you work through the process. A list of frequently asked questions is available here.

IESO
Toll Free: 1-888-448-7777
Telephone: 905-403-6900
E-mail: customer.relations@ieso.ca
Online: FIT FAQ

Renewable Energy Facilitation Office (REFO)
Ontario Power Authority (OPA)
Ontario Energy Board (OEB)
Ministry of Energy

Photos used courtesy of Innergex, Hydro Ottawa, ARISE Technologies, and Brookfield.