11772244 Canada Inc. Electricity Export

Summary#

11772244 Canada Inc. applied on December 11, 2019 for permission to export up to 4 500 000 MWh of electricity each year for 10 years. The Commission of the Canada Energy Regulator is asking for public comments before it decides whether to issue a permit or move the application to a licensing process under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act.

What it does#

• Seeks permission to export up to 4 500 000 MWh of combined firm and interruptible electricity per year for 10 years.
• Opens a public comment process so interested parties can give their views before a permit or licensing decision is made.
• Requires the applicant to keep copies of the application available for public inspection at its Montreal office and at the Canada Energy Regulator library in Calgary.
• Sets deadlines for written input: submissions must be filed and served by January 22, 2020, and any answers by the applicant to those submissions must be filed and served by February 5, 2020.
• Asks commenters specifically about:
  • the possible effect of the export on provinces other than the one supplying the electricity, and
  • whether the applicant informed interested buyers in Canada and gave them a fair chance to buy on similar terms.

Who's affected#

• Electricity generators and exporters, including 11772244 Canada Inc. (the applicant).
• Utilities, large industrial users, and other parties that buy electricity in Canada — especially those who have previously declared an interest in buying power.
• Provincial power systems and regulators, because the Commission specifically asks about impacts on provinces other than the selling province.
• Small consumers are not directly named in the notice; it is unclear from the source how retail customers would be affected.

Why it matters#

• Large, long-term electricity exports can influence supply, planning and prices within Canada, especially in neighbouring provinces or regions that share power markets.
• This is a decision about trade in electricity across the Canada–U.S. border, so it matters to companies that buy or sell cross-border power and to provincial grid operators.
• The public comment period gives interested parties a chance to raise concerns or support before the regulator makes a permit or licensing recommendation.