File photo of the Alberta Legislature building in Edmonton. (Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Legislation introduced to improve affordability of electricity for Albertans

Apr 27, 2022 | 4:22 PM

EDMONTON – The Government of Alberta has introduced a bill focused on modernizing the province’s electricity system to improve affordability for Albertans.

Bill 22, known as the Electricity Statutes (Modernizing Alberta’s Electricity Grid) Amendment Act, 2022, builds on legislation first introduced in the fall 2021 session. It integrates new technologies and innovations into the province’s electricity system.

Proposed amendments would allow for energy storage, enable more self-supply with export and help the distribution system plan for electric vehicles, renewable power sources, emerging technologies and other distributed energy resources.

Energy storage would be integrated into the province’s interconnected electricity system in both the competitive electricity market and the transmission and distribution system. The government said this will benefit Albertans by creating new opportunities to store energy at times when prices are low for use later and provides non-wires alternatives for additional cost savings.

Self-support with export is a way for companies to generate power on-site for their own use and to sell any excess power back to the grid for use by other Albertans.

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Associate Minister of Natural Gas and Electricity Dale Nally said, “we’re making the long-term changes needed to create a stronger electricity system that keeps energy affordable and reliable for Albertans for years to come.”

“This bill includes critical measures aimed at further increasing competition and stability so that our electricity system is as cost-effective and efficient as possible.”

Nally added that, “ultimately we are creating a stronger, more reliable and more affordable system for the years ahead.”

Altogether, the province believes the changes would result in more confidence from investors into Alberta’s electricity grid to increase long-term competition and supply. This would lead to more stable and affordable prices for Albertans, according to the provincial government.

Officials add it would make low-carbon alternatives easier to incorporate into Alberta’s electricity grid without high-priced subsidies from taxpayers.