The OEB initiated a consultation process to undertake a review of the regional planning process that applies to Ontario’s electricity sector. The OEB instituted a more structured process across the province, in 2013, to better ensure optimal investments are made by electricity transmitters and distributors. The primary purpose of this review is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the current regional planning process.
As the first step in this Regional Planning Process Review (RPPR), the OEB re-established its Regional Planning Process Advisory Group (RPPAG) to assist the OEB in its review. As indicated in the OEB’s 2020-21 Business Plan, this review includes consideration of certain recommendations from the high level regional planning process review completed by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). The work of the RPPAG therefore included further assessing the IESO’s recommendations that the two organizations determined the OEB should take the lead on as set out in the IESO’s Final Report. The RPPAG provided its Report to the OEB with recommendations for the OEB’s consideration to improve the regional planning process. The OEB issued a letter which indicated it would be moving forward on all the recommendations that require OEB action (and provided an Implementation Plan) and endorsed all the recommendations that require RPPAG action. Phase 1 of the RPPR is completed and Phase 2 will focus on implementation of those recommendations.
