Independent Electricity System Operator
The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is the Crown corporation responsible for operating the electricity market and directing the operation of the bulk electrical system in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is one of seven independent system operators in North America. The IESO was established in April 1999 as the Independent Electricity Market Operator (IMO) under the government of Ontario during the premiership of Mike Harris in preparation for deregulation of the province's electrical supply and transmission system. As part of government plans to privatize the assets of Ontario Hydro, the utility was split into five separate Crown corporations with the IMO responsible for directing the flow of electricity across the high-voltage, province-wide network owned by Hydro One and other transmission companies. It was also given the responsibility of managing and operating the competitive wholesale electricity market and working with neighbouring jurisdictions to manage an integrated North American electricity network.