Premier Danielle Smith said she will not implement the new draft federal clean electricity regulations. (Photo: CHAT News Today)

By Canadian Press

Premier says Alberta won’t implement Ottawa’s draft clean electricity regulations

Aug 11, 2023 | 11:04 AM

CALGARY – Ottawa’s draft regulations for clean electricity aren’t going over well with Alberta’s United Conservative government.

Premier Danielle Smith is calling them unconstitutional and irresponsible.

She says they won’t be implemented in her province.

Rebecca Schulz, the provincial environment minister, adds the rules set the stage for a more expensive and unreliable power supply.

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The federal government has set a target of making the electricity grid net-zero by 2035.

The draft regulations released today are meant to help guide the way.

The cost of energy would rise slightly, but federal officials expect that would be offset by savings from moving away from fossil fuels.

The regulations would allow electricity that doesn’t meet the new net-zero standard to support the power grid during periods of peak demand.

Premier Danielle Smith released the following statement:

My Statement on Proposed Clean Electricity Regulations: The draft federal 2035 net-zero power grid regulations are unconstitutional, irresponsible and do not align with Alberta’s emissions reduction and energy development plan that works towards a carbon-neutral power grid by 2050. These regulations make desperately needed investments in new natural gas generation almost impossible. If implemented in Alberta, these regulations would endanger the reliability of Alberta’s power grid and cause massive increases in Albertans’ power bills. Alberta’s government will protect Albertans from these unconstitutional federal net-zero regulations. They will not be implemented in our province – period. One of the only positives at this point is that these are ‘draft’ regulations and Alberta is about to commence a working group with the federal government to discuss how to bring Ottawa’s efforts to decarbonize the economy in line with Alberta’s Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan. If this alignment is not achieved, Alberta will chart its own path to ensuring we have additional reliable and affordable electricity brought onto our power grid that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This will be accomplished by ensuring an appropriate amount of high-efficiency natural gas base load is added to the grid while incentivizing carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) abated natural gas generation, small modular reactors, hydrogen generation and a sustainable amount of wind, solar and other renewables to drive down electricity costs. Albertans and our government care deeply about responsible environmental stewardship. We are confident Alberta’s plan will get us to a reliable and affordable carbon-neutral power grid by 2050. This is the direction Alberta is going. We invite the federal government to support us, rather than hinder us, in doing so.

Schulz dismissed the proposal to use gas-powered plants as a backstop, saying they can’t just be turned on and off when needed.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 10, 2023.

The Canadian Press