New Brunswick System Operator
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The New Brunswick System Operator (NBSO) is an independent not-for-profit statutory corporation created under New Brunswick’s Electricity Act on October 1, 2004. Under the Act, NBSO is responsible for the adequacy and reliability of the integrated electricity system, and for facilitating the development and operation of the New Brunswick Electricity Market. These responsibilities take the form of operation of the NBSO-controlled grid and administration of the Open Access Transmission Tariff (Tariff) and the New Brunswick Electricity Market Rules.
Dissolution
New Brunswick’s new Electricity Act (the “Act”) will be proclaimed on October 1, 2013. Among other things, the Act will see the amalgamation of the NBSO with the NB Power Group of Companies.
Legislation continues the requirement for open and non–discriminatory transmission access in New Brunswick. The system operation functions currently performed by the NBSO are now performed within a vertically integrated NB Power.
NBSO’s role in the adoption, monitoring and enforcement of North American reliability standards has been transferred to the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board.
Responsibilities
The NBSO is the Balancing Authority for New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Northern Maine, and the Transmission Provider for New Brunswick. NBSO provides load following and regulation service to the system in order to supply improvince customer load while maintaining scheduled flows on interconnections within established limits. These limits are set out in interconnection agreements with neighbouring system operators.
Reliability coordination
The NBSO is also one of 17 Reliability Coordinators in North America. As Reliability Coordinator for the Maritimes Area, NBSO is the authority responsible for the operation of the Bulk Power System in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and a portion of northeastern Maine.