Frequently Asked Questions

Direct Energy Regulated Services (DERS) is a business unit of Direct Energy Marketing Limited. DERS serves approximately 650,000 locations across Alberta. Our goal is to provide reliable electricity and natural gas at fair rates. We provide service to customers who have not chosen or are no longer being served by a competitive retailer, or who have simply chosen to be served by DERS and its simple, convenient, no-contract service. Direct Energy is a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy Inc., an energy and services company based in the United States with operations across North America.  Direct Energy employs over 100  people right here in Alberta.

DERS provides natural gas service to the majority of Alberta and electricity service to Northern and East-Central Alberta. To see if we can serve you, click the links below and view the map or enter your municipality:

• To view the areas in Alberta where DERS provides electricity services, click here 
• To view the areas in Alberta where DERS provides natural gas services, click here 

The key differences between regulated and competitive energy services are the rates charged and the need for a contract. Competitive rates are set by each company and may require a contract. Regulated rates are reviewed and approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) each month. Customers can choose regulated rates without the need for a contract.

An energy supplier is the same as an energy retailer. DERS is an energy supplier and retailer. This means that we purchase electricity and natural gas on our customers’ behalf in the competitive energy marketplace and supply it at a regulated rate that is reviewed and approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC).We also provide retail services including billing and customer service.

An energy distributor, such as ATCO Gas and ATCO Electric own the infrastructure and distribution systems that transport natural gas or electricity directly to consumers’ homes or businesses. Energy distributors set the delivery charge rates you see on your lower part of your bill, with AUC approval. Distributors are also responsible for responding to emergencies or outages.

An energy distributor, such as ATCO Gas and ATCO Electric, owns the infrastructure and distribution systems that transports natural gas or electricity directly to consumers’ homes or businesses. This means they own equipment like the pipelines, wires, poles, and transformers that moves the energy to you and converts it to a pressure or voltage that suits your needs. Energy distributors set the delivery charge rates you see on your lower part of your bill, with AUC approval. Distributors are also responsible for connections, disconnections, and responding to emergencies or outages.

DERS does not sell services door to door. In fact, the Alberta government has banned all door-to-door sales for retail energy. Anyone claiming to be selling energy on behalf of DERS or anyone else at your door should be reported to Service Alberta at 1-877-427-4088.

Click here to sign up for DERS’ Online Account Services. You will need your account number to get started, which can be found in the top right corner of any previous electricity or natural gas bill. For more help, click here to read our online account management guide.

• When we upgraded our Online Account, the sign in was changed to an email rather than a username. While you may still have a username, you just need your email to sign in. If you would still like to recover your username, click here. For your security, your email is required to recover your username.
• To reset your password, click here. For your security, your username is required to reset your password.

To access copies of your previous bills through your online DERS account, simply click the “Bills & Payments” button below your account overview. Alternatively, sign in and:

• Select “Menu”
• Click on “Billing & Payment History”

If you haven’t selected or are no longer receiving service from a different retailer/supplier for your natural gas or electricity services, DERS automatically becomes your supplier. This means that we purchase electricity and natural gas on your behalf in the competitive energy marketplace and supply it at a regulated rate that is reviewed and approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC). As your supplier, DERS is also responsible for billing and customer service.

 

If you haven’t set up service with anyone then under Alberta rules, you’re served by a default supplier. In this area, that’s Direct Energy Regulated Services for natural gas/electricity. There are no contracts with DERS and our rates are regulated by the AUC, fluctuating monthly with the wholesale markets. If you haven’t contacted us, it can sometimes take us some time to find the individual responsible for utilities at a property so in some occasions, the initial bill may cover several months. If you need help with your bill or a payment arrangement, give one of our friendly customer care agents a call at 1-866-420-3174.

The distributor and government charges are not set by DERS. While we collect the entire bill, these charges are then paid by DERS on your behalf to your distribution company and the government.

We’re sorry, but DERS isn’t currently able to offer the service. However, customers can manage both services conveniently in their Online Account. You can set your bills to be delivered via email, or simply within your Online Account, as well as set up Auto Pay so you don’t have to worry about missing a payment.

To receive your DERS bills through email or within your Online Account:

1. Sign in to your Online Account
2. Click on “Menu”, then “Account Details”
3. Under “Contact Information” click the “Edit” button

Under “Communication” and “Bill Delivery” select “Email” or “Online Account”. You may do the same for “Correspondence Preference” which includes any other account-related information

DERS offers many convenient payment methods, including:

• Your Online Account
• Our online Quick Pay system
• Our automated phone system at 1-866-420-3174
• Your bank's web or telephone banking system
• By mail to the address below:

Direct Energy Regulated Services
P.O. Box 1520, Station M 
Calgary, AB T2P 5R6

Please note we accept credit card payment using Visa, Mastercard or American Express. We also accept Visa or Mastercard debit cards

Our secure online payment portal is always open, and easy to set up and use.

• Sign in to, or sign up for, your DERS Online Account
• If you have more than one account with us, choose the account you wish to make a payment for on the drop-down menu, located on top left of page
• Under balance or main menu, located top right corner, select  “Make a payment”
• Select the “Electricity” or “Natural Gas” account you would like to make a payment to
• Under “Payment Method”, select the “Form of Payment” you want to use (you can also choose to add a new form of payment by selecting Credit Card/Debit Card from the drop down menu)
• Under “Payment Amount”, enter the amount you want to pay
• Click the “Make Payment” button

 

To set up DERS as a manual payee through your online banking:

• For all banks (EXCEPT Scotiabank, which has a character count limit), use the following biller ID: DIRECT ENERGY REGULATED SERVICES AB
• For Scotiabank customers, use the following biller ID: DIRECT ENERGY REG. SERVICES

Yes you can! Just mail your cheque (noting your account #*) to:

Direct Energy Regulated Services
P.O. Box 1520, Station M
Calgary, AB T2P 5R6

*Please note: If you have both an electricity and a natural gas bill to pay, a separate cheque with your account number for each service is required. Thank you!

Yes, you do need to pay your final bill since it reflects the amount of electricity and/or natural gas that you have consumed up until your service end date.

DERS will continue to send you a bill for as long as you have any amounts owing. It is also possible for bills to be sent to you after you close your account that include adjustments to previous charges. These changes are generally a result of your distribution company providing us with updated actual meter read data rather than an estimate.

If you are unable to afford your bill, please contact us right away at 1-866-420-3174 to inquire about a possible Payment Arrangement or Payment Extension. If you need additional financial support, please click here.

• Once your balance is caught up, you might consider our Budget Payment Plan to help you balance out your payments throughout the year.

There are many reasons why your home or business might suddenly be served by DERS. The most common reasons are that your previous retailer stopped serving you because your contract term came to an end or for non-payment. If you do suddenly find yourself served by DERS, you can rest assured you will continue receiving reliable energy service and we would be happy to continue serving you.

If you recently moved to a property, or your previous retailer stopped serving you, then your information may not have made it to us. We do our best to find the proper customer information when your distribution company can’t get it to us, but the bill is still valid. If something isn’t right, please just give us a call at 1-866-420-3174 and one of our friendly agents will be able to get your account set up accurately and we would be happy to continue serving you.

ATCO owns and operates the transmission and distribution systems for electricity or natural gas in areas where DERS provides service. ATCO calculates the charges for the transmission and delivery of electricity or natural gas to your home or business. These charges have a fixed and variable component that reflects your energy usage, which can be the largest portion of a typical customer’s bill. E.g.: In the winter, distributor charges can be up to 65% of total charges. These rates remain the same and will be charged regardless of your energy supplier.

The Federal Carbon Tax came into effect January 1, 2020 and has increased incrementally at the following rate schedule:

January 1, 2020	$1.050/GJ
April 1, 2020	$1.576/GJ
April 1, 2021	$2.103/GJ
April 1, 2022	$2.629/GJ
April 1,2023	$3.327/GJ

 

Your municipal government charges a local access fee or a municipal franchise fee for the use of municipal land for distribution and transmission infrastructure by the distribution company. This fee is set by and remitted to the municipality.

Energy charges come from DERS, and reflect the actual or estimated cost of your energy usage during the billing period based on the unit of measurement:

• Electricity: kWh x $ rate
• Natural Gas: GJ x $ rate

Visit the DERS blog for more information.

Canada Post will decommission its epost™ service by December 2022. Due to this change, you must select a different method for receiving your bill electronically. Our convenient Online Account portal makes it easy to sign up for paperless billing.

3 simple steps to access your Online Account

1. Visit https://oam.directenergy.ca/login/current-user on your desktop or mobile device.
2. Click on the New User tab and provide your email address and Direct Energy Regulated Services account number to create a new online account.
3. Enter your new credentials and enjoy 24/7 access to your account.

DERS offers two payment plans to make it easier for our customers to budget for—and pay—monthly energy bills:

Spread out your energy costs throughout the year to make budgeting and planning easier. DERS’ Budget Billing estimates the cost of your energy based on past usage, the time of year, and the expected cost of energy and distribution charges—and divides that total into equal monthly payments.

To sign up* for the Budget Payment Plan, simply sign in to your Online Account and click “Setup Payment Plan” under the dropdown menu. There you can click to enroll in Budget Billing. You can also call us at 1-866-420-3174.

 *Please note: To sign up, you must have received a minimum of three bills and your account balance must be up-to-date.

Save on postage, cheque-writing costs, and time – and never worry about late payments again. DERS’ Auto Pay enables your monthly bill to be automatically charged to your credit card or deducted from your bank account each month. Once enrolled, you’ll continue to receive a statement each month that shows the amount and date that your payment was deducted.

To sign up for Auto Pay:

• Sign in to your online account
• Click “Setup Auto Pay” within your Account Overview

Alternatively:

• Go to “Setup Payment Plan” in the drop-down menu
• Click on Auto Pay
• We are able to accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express

If you need to enter your payment card information or bank account information, you will be able to simply toggle the new payment method to “Auto Pay” as well.

Alternatively, you can print an application form and email or mail it to us (Please note, the application form only supports bank account payments):

• Print the Application Form*
• Read the Auto Pay Plan Terms and Conditions
• Complete and sign the form and then fax, email or mail it back to us:
  • Fax:  844-881-4791
  • Email: DERSAlbertaHelp@directenergy.com
  • Mail:

Auto Payment Plan
Direct Energy Regulated Services
PO Box 1520
639 5th Ave SW
Calgary, AB T2P 5R6

*Adobe Reader is needed to open, view and download PDF documents. Download the software here for free.

If you’ve received a Pending Disconnection Notice, it means your DERS account balance has been past due for at least 60 days. A payment is required in order to ensure you continue to receive service. We care about our customers and are committed to doing all that we can to support you. Below is a helpful list of options to assist you in avoiding disconnection.

Make an immediate bill payment: 

1. Sign in or set up an Online Account and make a payment.
2. Make a one-time payment using our online Quick-Pay option.
3. Use our automated phone system (1-866-420-3174), available 24 hours per day.

Request a Payment Arrangement:

We know that extenuating circumstances can lead to difficulty in paying bills and we are here to work with and support our customers during in these times. To be eligible for a Payment Arrangement, your account status must meet the following criteria:  

• Your account must be active
• Your account cannot include any pre-existing payment arrangements
• Your account cannot include any previously broken payment arrangements in the past 12 -months
• The date of the request for a payment arrangement cannot be past the date of disconnection noted in your Pending Disconnection Notice

If you meet the above criteria, you can make a Payment Arrangement by calling the DERS Customer Care team at 1-866-420-3174.

View other Financial Support options:

• For a list of Alberta social service agencies that may be able to provide you with assistance with your energy bill, click here.

Once your account balance is up-to-date, please check out DERS’ payment plans to help make it easier to budget for—and pay—your energy bills.

If your DERS bill is higher than usual, and you’re NOT on DERS Budget Billing, it is likely due to one or more of these reasons.

If your bill is higher than normal, check the billing period dates for that cycle. While we do our best to provide you with a consistent billing period of about 1-month, sometimes there are delays in receiving consumption information from the distribution company. This can result in a longer billing period, which will generally mean the bill has more consumption, increasing your energy charges, administration charges, and distribution and government charges. If this is a final bill or if there was a missing invoice, the billing period may be longer than normal.

Exceptionally cold or hot periods during the year lead to more energy usage as we turn up our furnaces or air conditioning units to stay comfortable. Cold temperatures will have an impact on both electricity and natural gas bills, while hot temperatures are likely to only impact electricity bills (considering your furnace won’t be running at these times). During periods of extreme cold, we have seen customers’ usage of natural gas increase as much as 35% from what’s typical for a month, while electricity usage can climb 15% higher than typical. If you have an air conditioner and extreme heat hits, your electricity bill may climb even higher.

Natural gas usage in particular is highly seasonal. The average DERS customer will use 20 GJ in the colder winter months, while that drops to as little as 2 GJ in the summer. But extreme cold can push that even higher as mentioned above. A 35% increase in January usage may push the average customer’s natural gas usage to 27 GJ. This is demonstrated in the chart below, showing the impact on demand from relatively seasonal winter months compared to a very cold February in 2021:

 

When you use more energy, not only will your energy charges increase, but your distributor charges will also increase. This is because transmission and distribution charges have a variable component, so the more energy you use, the higher they will be. For natural gas bills, higher usage will also result in a higher Federal Carbon Tax because it is charged per GJ.

With colder weather, energy consumption generally increases. Your furnace must burn more natural gas to keep your home the same temperature compared to more seasonal days. This also increases electricity usage to operate the furnace’s fan, while electric heat and space heaters will also increase your electricity usage. Shorter days in the winter will also result in lights being used more often.

With warmer weather, electricity consumption may increase, especially if you have air conditioning. Even without AC, you may be running fans and appliance like the fridge and freezer will need to work harder to stay cool. It’s important to remember that on both hot and cold days, you do not need to crank your thermostat to cool or heat your home faster.

Other changes in your home environment – such as keeping the thermostat at a higher temperature, running the AC more regularly, adding or changing appliances (i.e. hot tub, electric fireplace, air conditioner), having additional house guests, and/or not keeping up with furnace maintenance and filter changes – can result in higher energy bills. You can view our energy saving tips here.

Even if your usage remains the same, regulated natural gas and electricity prices can fluctuate from month to month due to weather, increases or decreases in usage, world events and supply and demand factors. If the commodity price increases while your usage remains constant, it will result in a higher bill. Remember that our rates are reviewed and approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission to ensure they are fair and set using our approved method.

If you are on Budget Billing, a higher bill could be for a number of reasons:

• Past due payments, or payments not yet received, may have been added to your monthly amount.
• Twice per year, at your Budget Billing Settlement month, we review your overall annual billing to ensure your budget is not too low or too high, and then incorporate any balance from the previous year.
• From time to time, as a result of a change in your overall annual billing, it is necessary for us to adjust your monthly amount to avoid the accumulation of a large balance or credit.

If you have any further questions, please contact our customer care team at 1-866-420-3174.

The simplest way to reduce your energy bills is to reduce consumption. There is no one simple answer, but we have put together a number of blogs on how to save energy.

Some simple solutions include:

• Adjusting the thermostat (down in the winter, up in the summer if you have air conditioning)
• Lowering or turning off heat in unused space (eg. Garage, storage, barn)
• Check windows and doors for drafts and get them sealed
• Turn off lights when not in use
• Invest in energy efficient options (eg. LED lightbulbs, programmable thermostat)

DERS provides electricity service to Northern Alberta and East-Central Alberta. To view the areas in Alberta where DERS provides electricity services and to see if we can serve you, click here.

The RRO is the per kilowatt hour (kWh) electricity rate which is available from regulated rate providers, such as DERS, and is regulated by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC). The RRO is calculated according to a price-setting plan and is reviewed and approved in advance of each month by the AUC. The RRO price reflects monthly, market-based prices which means it may increase or decrease month-to-month, due to market forces such as supply and demand.

Any customer that consumes less than 250,000 kWh per year is eligible for the RRO. As an example, an average household uses approximately 7,600 kWh per year. If you haven’t chosen a competitive electricity retailer and consume less than 250,000 kWh per year, then you are automatically an RRO customer.

Customers who consume less than 250,000 kWh per year are eligible for the RRO. As an example, an average household uses approximately 7,600 kWh per year. If you haven’t chosen a competitive electricity retailer and consume less than 250,000 kWh per year, then you are automatically an RRO customer.

What is “best” will differ customer to customer. The RRO reflects market conditions, changes every month, and can be lower or higher than competitive options available in any given month. The rate is reviewed and approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission.

Direct Energy Regulated Services provides electricity service to customers that are eligible for the RRO, which requires an annual usage of less than 250,000 kWh. If your business' annual usage exceeds this amount, you are required to either select a competitive retailer or you will receive service from the Default Supplier. Based on the location of your business, the Default Supplier is DE Business.

If you’re experiencing a power outage or other electricity issue, you need to call your distribution company, ATCO Electric. Call ATCO Electric’s 24-hour emergency line.

• ATCO Electric Emergency Response: 1-800-668-5506 

For more information about what to do in case of a power outage, please view the following DERS blog posts:

• Power Outage Tips: Power Outage Tips

You can request your electricity service to be temporarily shut off, however some charges will still be applied if the property remains connected to the distribution system. Please be aware, reconnection costs may be applied when you wish to restore electricity service.

To disconnect electricity services during the winter moratorium, October 15 to April 15, you will need to complete and sign a Premise Vacancy Agreement.

All Albertans can receive their natural gas service from the regulated natural gas provider in their area, such as Direct Energy Regulated Services, and have the opportunity to choose their natural gas retailer by signing up for a competitive contract. To view a list of Alberta natural gas retailers, visit ucahelps.alberta.ca, or call 310-4-UCA (310-4822), toll-free within Alberta, or 780-644-5130 if you are outside of the province.

DERS provides natural gas service to most of Alberta. To view the areas in Alberta where DERS provides natural gas services and to see if we can serve you, click here.

The GCFR is the per gigajoule (GJ) regulated natural gas rate that is set on a monthly basis and determined by:

• The price of wholesale natural gas, which fluctuates based on supply and demand, the economy, world events, currency exchange rates, seasonal weather temperatures as well as extreme weather events such as fires, floods and hurricanes; plus
• A forecast of estimated natural gas load and price for the upcoming month (Any under- or over-recovery from previous months is also included in the GCFR for the upcoming month)

DERS submits the GCFR to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) for review and approval on the fifth last business day of each month.

All customers in the ATCO Gas service territory are eligible for the GCFR.

What is “best” will differ customer to customer. The GCFR changes with market conditions every month and can be lower or higher than competitive options available. The rate is reviewed and approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission to ensure that it is reasonable and fair.

You can disconnect your gas service from November 1st - April 15th by completely filling out the following ATCO Gas waiver online, or by downloading*, completing AND faxing or emailing the form to:

• Fax: 1-877-420-3777
• Email: DERSAlbertaHelp@directenergy.com

Please be aware that idle charges and a reconnection fee from your distribution company may still apply.

*Adobe Reader is needed to open, view and download PDF documents. Download the software here for free.

If you smell natural gas or suspect the presence of carbon monoxide, call the ATCO Gas 24-hour emergency line or 911 immediately.

• ATCO Gas Emergency Response: 1-800-511-3447 

To request meter installation for multiple sites, please fill out the multiple site application form to ensure we have all the required information to complete your request. 

To make a payment that covers more than one account, please fill out and include the multiple site payment application form with your payment. You can also easily manage your sites through your Online Account.

If you would like your tenants to be responsible for paying for natural gas or electricity service at your rental property, the tenants must set up their own account by contacting DERS and providing their billing information. The tenant will be responsible for the charges during the term of their lease. As a landlord, you will be responsible for the charges if your tenant does not set up an account or when the tenant ends their account. You can set up a Premise Vacancy Agreement and Property Owner/Manager Authorization Form to ensure that service automatically goes back into your name when your tenant ends their service.

If your tenants were supposed to set up service and you receive a bill from DERS, or any other retailer, then the tenants did not set up service and we are only able to bill the property owner. You will need to pay the invoice. DERS is unable to bill a tenant who has not explicitly set up an account with us.

The Premise Vacancy Agreement enables the easy transition of billing for natural gas or electricity services between the tenant and the landlord. There are many benefits to using this form:

• Ensures that there is no service interruption when a tenant moves out and the property remains vacant.
  • Alternatively, landlords can agree to shut off utilities if the property is vacant. Note that disconnected services are subject to a reconnection fee, which is the responsibility of the next party requesting service.
• Alerts a landlord when a tenant does not set up the proper billing for electricity or gas service at the rental property.
• Alerts a landlord when a tenant ends their natural gas or electricity service before the end of their lease.
• No buildup of charges if DERS has trouble locating the property owner.
• Can be used to shut off service at the rental property while it is vacant.

If services were in the tenant’s name, then your tenant is responsible for the charges they incur during the period that they hold a DERS account. Even if a tenant does not pay their DERS account, the charges will not be transferred to the landlord or property owner unless authorized by the property owner. In the case of a dispute between a tenant and a landlord, DERS may request proof of occupancy such as a lease agreement.

Payment of the DERS account is the responsibility of the account holder and any notices of disconnection will be addressed to the account holder. Therefore, if the account for the services at your rental property are in your tenant’s name, only your tenant will be notified of unpaid amounts and of a pending disconnection. Due to privacy laws, DERS is unable to release information to anyone that is not listed as a contact person on the account. Any notice of pending disconnection or notice of disconnection will be delivered to the mailing address for the service.

If a property is disconnected for non-payment, an owner can request DERS to transfer services into their name to have energy restored. However, the property owner will be responsible for any fees related to the reconnection of service.

If the tenant has not set up energy service for the start of the lease agreement, the property owner will be billed for the service being supplied to the property. To correct this issue, your tenant must contact DERS and accept responsibility for electricity or gas services, effective the date they moved in.

Vacant properties that remain connected to the distribution systems and are receiving electricity or natural gas service will continue to receive charges from the default retailer, such as DERS. If you would like services to be shut off at a property, the property owner can complete a Premise Vacancy Agreement. Note that the property may continue to receive distribution charges from ATCO even if it is disconnected.

You can easily transfer your services through your Online Account. Once you log in, you can either click the “Move or Transfer” button below your account overview, or click the menu and select “Move or Transfer Service” under “Manage Services” and follow the steps. Alternatively, you can let us know you are moving by calling us at 1-866-420-3174. If you notify us of your move approximately one week in advance, we'll be able to transfer your account to your new address before you move so you have one less thing to worry about.

If you will be responsible for two properties at the same time, even just for a short time, let us know there will be an overlap in billing. When you receive your bill for this period, please be aware it will likely be higher than normal due to energy, distributor and government charges applicable to both properties for the term of the overlap.

If you’re moving and are no longer in a DERS service area, or will no longer require DERS’ service for any other reason, please notify us at least 3 full business days in advance by calling 1-866-420-3174. We will ask you to provide your new mailing address so that we can send you your final bill.

If you were charged a security deposit, it, plus interest, will automatically be applied to your account after 12 consecutive months of on-time payment history or applied to any remaining balance on your final bill—whichever comes first.

Your distribution company is responsible for reading your meter and submitting that data to DERS for billing purposes. In some instances, they may not have been able to read your meter in a given billing period and instead submits an estimate to DERS. Once they read your meter, there may be a correction to the estimated amount. This can either be a credit or an additional amount owing, but it is reflective of your actual usage.

Yes, you do need to pay your final bill since it reflects the electricity and/or natural gas that you have used up until your service end date.

DERS will continue to send you a bill for as long as you have any amounts owing Or to reflect any adjustments made to your account.

You can disconnect your gas service from November 1st - April 15th by completely filling out the following ATCO Gas waiver online, or by downloading*, completing AND faxing or emailing the form to:

• Fax: 1-877-420-3777
• Email: DERSAlbertaHelp@directenergy.com

Please be aware that idle charges and a reconnection fee from your distribution company may still apply.

*Adobe Reader is needed to open, view and download PDF documents. Download the software here for free.

You are allowed in Alberta to generate enough power to offset all, or a portion, of your annual energy usage.

The intent of micro-generation generating units (less than 5,000 kW capacity and connected to an electric distribution system) - is to produce electric energy for personal use and for energy produced to be less than the yearly consumption at the site.

Depending on how much you generate, you’ll either be a small micro-generator (under 150 kW) or a large micro-generator (150 kW to 5,000 kW).

Note: Albertans who want to generate electricity to earn revenue and not for their own use are considered commercial generators and do not meet the requirements to be a micro-generator.

If you are a micro-generation customer and do not use all the energy produced in a billing cycle, you will receive a credit for any energy (measured in kWh) that you put onto the power grid.

Your credit will be dependent on the size of micro-generator you are. A small micro-generator (up to 150 kW) will be credited at your retail energy rate. When your electricity is sent to the grid, a large micro-generator (150 kW to 5,000 kW) will be credited at the average hourly Alberta Pool Price.

The average hourly pool price is determined by the Alberta Electric System Operator.  View their website for more information.

Life changes and your energy use may change with it. Your distribution company is responsible for working with you to determine the capacity of the micro-generator you can install today – and can help you to consider future load additions (they may require evidence depending on the capacity increase requested). Contact ATCO Electric for further assistance.

 

You need to notify your retailer (that’s us!) that you are, or intend to be, a micro-generator.

You’ll need to check ATCO Electric’s application and connection process, as your municipality will likely require permits. ATCO Electric will also be responsible for helping you determine the capacity you need and installing the bi-directional meter when the time comes.

Your distribution company is responsible for connecting your micro-generation system. The connection process follows the Micro-Generation Regulation rules, and the Alberta Utilities Commission’s (AUC’s) Rules Respecting Micro-Generation. While all distributors follow the AUC’s process, there may be slight variations – so it is best to reach out to your distributor directly.

• ATCO Electric

Your distributor will also be responsible for meter installation, and meter data management service to ensure the amount of energy sent to the grid is accurately accounted for.

Meter installation is generally done at the distributor’s cost, with a few exceptions. If there is a disagreement in cost responsibility, you can file a complaint with the AUC.

First, you’ll need to apply to your distribution company to connect your micro-generation unit.

If you are a Direct Energy Regulated Services customer, you will need to reach ATCO Electric.

The size of your micro-generation unit cannot be larger than your site’s historical consumption, meaning that you cannot generate more power than what you used the previous year. You can generate only enough to offset the amount used – after this, you are generating revenue and are considered a commercial generator.

Your distribution company will have guidelines explaining your responsibilities, including applying for permits from your municipality.

Review this handy guide from the AUC, which includes an application process summary on pages 10 to 13.

 

 

You will receive an energy bill that looks the same as the bill you receive today, with an additional line item – Microgen Credit. This is your credit for the energy you put back into the power grid.

The rate you receive for excess energy sent back onto the grid depends on whether you are a small or large micro-generator:

• You will be credited at your retail energy rate if you are a small micro-generator (under 150 kW).
• If you are a large micro-generator (150 kW to 5,000 kW), you will be credited at the average hourly Alberta Pool Price when your electricity is sent onto the grid.

We are required to provide your micro-generation credit once per year at a minimum; however, we typically provide the credit on each monthly bill.

Yes, as a micro-generator, you are still connected to the electric grid, and the associated costs still apply to your site. This includes:

• the fixed portions of the distribution charge
• transmission charge
• your municipality’s local access fee
• and any other fixed rate riders

Micro-generation units rarely produce enough energy to completely offset your site’s usage. Your property is going to use some of the energy produced. Whatever is not used by your site to offset your consumption – will be put back into the grid.

You will receive a credit for what you put back into the grid, but you must also pay for all the energy you used from the grid.

What this means is:

If you use 800 kWh in one month, and you put back 200 kWh into the grid, you will pay for the 800 kWh that you used from the grid, and then you will receive a credit in your retailer charges on a separate line (for the 200 kWh you put back into the grid).

In the distribution charges section of your bill, you will be charged for the full 800 kWh delivered.

This is important to keep in mind – sometimes it might be easier to think of it as paying for 600 kWh, but this is not the case because you still need to pay the distributor for all the energy delivered.

Additional information on the rules, regulations, and guidelines for micro-generation can be found on the following websites:

• Alberta Government
• Utilities Consumer Advocate
• Alberta Utilities Commission

The Utility Payment Deferral Program was implemented by the provincial government in response to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Utility customers were able to defer their bill payments between March 18, 2020 and June 18, 2020. All Alberta energy retailers were required to allow repayment of these bills until June 18, 2021. The deadline for repayment has now passed.

Most customers repaid the amount they owed, but some customers were not able to pay. To recover the unpaid amount, the government of Alberta has implemented a Distribution Rider which will be applied to all Alberta utility consumer bills. The rider will apply to all consumers of natural gas and electricity, not just those who used the program. Even large commercial accounts that did not qualify for the Utility Payment Deferral Program will be asked to pay the rider. This rider impacts all customers, regardless of their retailer, and is an Alberta government policy.

The rider is $0.037 (3.7 cents) per GJ for gas; for electricity it is $0.43 (43 cents) per megawatt-hour (MWh), or 0.043 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

• The charge on an average residential natural gas bill will be approximately $0.78. (Average AB residential consumption is 21 GJ per month during the winter months. 21 GJ/month x $0.037/GJ = $0.78/month.)
• The charge on an average residential electricity bill will be approximately $0.26 (26 cents). (Average AB residential consumption is 600 kWh per month. $0.43 (43 cents) per MWh is equivalent to 0.043 cents per kWh. 600 kWh x $0.00043 per kWh = $0.26/month.)

This policy has been placed on all retailers, including Direct Energy, by the Alberta government.

It will be applied from November 1, 2021 to February 28, 2022.

You may contact the Alberta Department of Energy for further information. Alternatively, you can reach out to your Member of the Legislative Assembly's (MLA's) office.

Yes, the Distribution Rider will apply to all consumers regardless of which retailer you choose. Switching companies won't allow you to avoid the rider.

The Utility Payment Deferral Program was implemented by the provincial government in response to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Utility customers were able to defer their bill payments between March 18, 2020 and June 18, 2020. All Alberta energy retailers were required to allow repayment of these bills until June 18, 2021. The deadline for repayment has now passed.

Most customers repaid the amount they owed, but some customers were not able to pay. To recover the unpaid amount, the government of Alberta has implemented a Distribution Rider which will be applied to all Alberta utility consumer bills. The rider will apply to all consumers of natural gas and electricity, not just those who used the program. Even large commercial accounts that did not qualify for the Utility Payment Deferral Program will be asked to pay the rider. This rider impacts all customers, regardless of their retailer, and is an Alberta government policy.

The rider is not optional, it will apply to all consumers of natural gas and electricity, not just those who used the program. Even large commercial accounts that did not qualify for deferral will be asked to pay the rider.