Electrical

The Alberta government supports freedom of choice with utility providers for electricity. 

For information regarding a retail supplier of electricity in Cardston, here are some web sites to help:

• Utilities Consumer Advocate (www.ucahelps.alberta.ca)

• Conpare Alberta Energy Options (energyrates.ca/alberta/)

Balancing Pool Rider

What is the balancing pool rider?
You may notice a charge on your electric utility bill called the "Balancing Pool Rider". This is a charge of 0.00353 cents per kilowatt hour which goes towards the balancing pool. The Balancing Pool was established in 1999 by the Government of Alberta to help manage certain assets, revenues and expenses arising from the transition to competition in Alberta’s electric industry. Recent changes in provincial government policy have affected what was once a profitable balancing pool, necessitating the new charge. 

Code of Conduct

Complaints about contraventions of the Code of Conduct Regulation may be made to the Alberta Utilities Commission or the Market Surveillance Administrator. The Alberta Utilities Commission can be reached by contacting 1-780-427- 4903 or consumer-relations@auc.ab.ca. The Market Surveillance Administrator can be reached by contacting 1-403-705-3181 or compliance@albertamsa.ca. The Alberta Utilities Commission and the Market Surveillance Administrator are independent of the Town of Cardston and the regulated rate suppliers and affiliated providers. For general and billing inquiries, refer to the contact information on this bill.

Download the Town of Cardston Code of Conduct Compliance Plan

Town of Cardston Distribution System Distributed Generation Connection Process

If you are considering installing an electric generator less than 1MW (Micro-generator) in size at your residence or business site, there is an established process in Alberta to help you.   As your local electric distributor, the Town of Cardston plays a key role in the connection of small generation to the provincial electric grid.  This document captures the general steps in the connection process from application to energization.  

Process Steps:

1. Complete the Town of Cardston Distributed Generation Application form and submit it with all supporting documentation to info@cardston.ca.

2. Discussions may be required with the Applicant to establish the technical connection requirements.

3. The Town will confirm the completeness of the Application information and approve applications that are in compliance with the Micro-Generation Regulation if applicable.

4. The Town will determine if the Applicant would be responsible for any connection costs* and discuss these with the Applicant.

5. Applicant seeks Building, Electrical and Development Permits as required by the Town.

6. Applicant compensates Town for non-standard costs and if the generator is likely to export a significant amount of energy to the Cardston Distribution system would sign a Town of Cardston Generation Interconnection Agreement.

7. Applicant notifies Retailer of pending generation connection.

8. Town conducts inspections for approval of required permits.

9. Town installs metering equipment and completes connection.

Resource documents:     

• Town of Cardston Distributed Generation Application form, 

• Town of Cardston Distribution Tariff Terms and Conditions of Service (Electricity Distribution Bylaw),

• Alberta Government Micro-Generation Regulation AR27/2008,

• Alberta Utilities Commission Micro-Generation Application Guideline,

• Alberta Utilities Commission Distributed Generation Application Guideline

*The Micro Generation Regulation states that extra-ordinary costs may occur for safety considerations, technical complexity or any other reason and may be recovered from the Applicant.  Connection costs for non Micro-generation projects will vary. 

Solar Production

Cardston produces approximately 200mWh of solar electricity annually from solar panels installed on two Town owned facilities. The systems are sized to net-zero the facilities, producing slightly more electricity than the facilities consume annually, saving the tax payers approximately $20,000 per year at current rates. Any excess electricity produced during high output days is fed back into the Town owned grid and distributed to other facilities in Cardston.

Production data for each facility can be viewed by clicking on the respective links below.

Cardston Civic Centre

Click here to view Civic Centre solar production monitoring

141 350-watt Solar Panels producing 52 mega watt hours of electricity every year.

Charlie Cheesman Memorial Ice Arena

Click here to view Charlie Cheesman Memorial Ice Arena solar production monitoring 

406 350-watt solar panels producing 160 mega watt hours of electricity every year.

Town of Cardston Solar Farm (West Industrial Area)

4,752 400-watt solar panels producing 2,500 mega watt hours of electricity every year.

The Town of Cardston Bylaw concerning Electricity Distribution is Bylaw 1649: Electricity Distribution Bylaw. The Bylaw is a consolidation of the following schedules which are updated periodically:

The following documents are for customers or licensed occupants for connecting or attaching to the distribution system or its infrastructure.

Are you struggling with paying your energy bills or have had your utilities limited or cut off?

Contact your energy retailer to learn about:

• What to do if you fall behind on bills
• Payment plan options that could make your monthly payment more affordable
• How to get a limiter removed
• How to get service reconnected

Your energy retailer can also help you better understand:

• Deposits
• Late fees
• The date your bill is due
• All the charges on your bill
• Paying your bill through auto-withdraw
• The different types of utility rates

If you’re unable to pay your bill or need help with deposits, reconnection, and advocacy:

• 211 Alberta – Dial 2-1-1 anywhere in Alberta ab.211.ca  
  • Be guided to right service for whatever issue you need help with.
• Alberta Supports – 1-877-644-9992 https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-supports.aspx   
  • Provides help for seniors, people with disabilities, job seekers, parents and families, homelessness, financial assistance, abuse, and family violence prevention.
• Utility Consumer Advocate (UCA) - 310-4822  https://ucahelps.alberta.ca/ 
  • Call the Utility Consumer Advocate to discuss bill issues, your rights, and your options.
  • Visit the Utility Consumer Advocate website to find information on:
    • How you can choose your energy rate
    • Service disconnection and reconnection
    • The charges on your utility bills
    • Understanding the utility sector

Additional crisis support services are available too:

• Bissell Centre Edmonton –780-423-2285, ext. 133
• United Way Central Alberta Red Deer – 403-343-3900
• Distress Centre Calgary – 24hr Crisis Line (text or phone) 403-266-4357

How to tell if you are on the Regulated Rate Option (RRO)

If you have not agreed to enter into a contract, you are on the RRO. Your bill will have the words ‘regulated’ or ‘RRO’ on them. The rate you pay for the energy you use changes each month on the RRO. 

Other options are available and could save you money on your utility bill. 

Visit the Utilities Consumer Advocate for more information on how to save money on your energy bill https://ucahelps.alberta.ca/choosing-a-retailer.aspx   

A list of Alberta energy retailers can be found at: https://ucahelps.alberta.ca/retailers.aspx

If you are overdue on your utility bill

Utility companies have government-approved processes when notifying customers about late payments, cut offs, and being removed from a contracted service.

Knowing which step your account is at can help you get the help you need.

For retail energy contract providers, you can receive:

• Multiple scheduled payment reminders (phone, mail, email, or text)
• A final non-payment notice
• Phone messages advising of pending contract termination
• Notification of contract termination
  • Your retail contract will be terminated, and your energy service is transferred to the default regulated rate option provider for your area
  • You are still responsible for any unpaid balances from your retail contract plan

For RRO providers, you can receive:  

• Payment due reminder (via mail or email)
• Multiple scheduled payment reminder attempts (phone, mail, email, or text)
• A final non-payment notice
• Phone message advising that your service will be disconnected or limited
• Final email or mail notice your service will be disconnected or limited

If you are in this situation, contact your energy provider as soon as possible. If you are having issues paying your energy bills, you may hear the terms below:

Reminders: include account balance and timelines as well as advice on payment options and key contacts for assistance.

Contract Termination: Refers to the cancellation of a retail plan/contract service being transferred to the default energy provider.  The RRO provider for your area of the province can be found at ucahelps.alberta.ca/retailers

Disconnection: Energy services are disconnected on RRO accounts that remain unpaid despite efforts to settle balances.  Power is disconnected only as a last resort.  

Limited Electricity: A load limiter that has been applied to overdue accounts allows for a few appliances or devices to run simultaneously.  If too much electricity is used, the limiter cuts all power.  A reset button can restore limited power.

Medical Allowances: If you are dependent on medical devices requiring electricity, please inform your electricity provider so this information is added to your account and considerations can be made.

If you have concerns about paying your utility bills, you can contact the Utilities Consumer Advocate to learn about your options before reaching out to your electricity and/or natural gas provider(s).

You can also lower your utility bill through energy efficiency

Improving a home’s energy efficiency doesn’t have to involve expensive upgrades or months of renovations.  See a full list of energy saving options on https://ucahelps.alberta.ca/tips-to-save-money-on-utility-bills.aspx   

The regulated rate is the default electric energy price. It is a permanent option for Albertans and there is no end date. The RRO is the monthly rate for electricity automatically provided to all eligible customers who have not entered into a contract with a competitive electricity retailer. For details on the rate that is currently being charged to RRO customers you can check the rates in the table below.

RRO Energy Rates and a historic file of the previous regulated rates for at least the previous 12 months.

** Government of Alberta mandated RRO Price Ceiling

Alberta One Call

Before commencing any excavation please call Alberta One Call to have the utilities marked. Call toll free at 1-800-242-3447 or request a locate online at

https://utilitysafety.ca/wheres-the-line/submit-a-locate-request/

AEUSA

The vision of the Alberta Electric Utility Safety Association (AEUSA) is to promote electric utility safety within the Province of Alberta. Visit their site at http://www.aeusa.ca/.

Where’s the line?

The following is a list of links to materials and resources dedicated to working safely around power lines.

wherestheline.ca
Where’s the line: on Facebook
Where’s the line: Media