The Ontario government is proposing to merge the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) and the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) into a single organization.
The provincial government says it intends to introduce legislation that would create a single new agency that will merge the OPA's planning knowledge with the IESO's operational expertise. The mandate of the new, merged agency would be to establish market rules to benefit consumers, align contracts and create an electricity system that is more responsive to changing conditions.
According to the Ontario government, the new agency would eliminate duplication and save ratepayers up to $25 million a year. It would also allow for a more seamless and coordinated approach to planning as Ontario integrates new renewable energy projects onto the grid and shuts down its last coal-fired plants by the end of 2014, according to the Ontario Ministry of Energy.
