DRW Seeks 10-Year Electricity Export Permit

Summary#

DRW Energy Trading Canada ULC has asked the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) for permission to export up to 1 752 000 MWh of electricity a year for 10 years. The application (filed on 11 April 2025) is open for public comment before the CER decides whether to issue a permit or move the file to a licensing process under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act.

What it does#

• The applicant asks the CER for authorization to export up to 1 752 000 MWh of combined firm and interruptible energy annually for 10 years.
• The CER’s Commission is seeking input from interested parties before it:
  • issues a permit, or
  • recommends the application proceed to a formal licensing procedure.
• The Commission specifically wants views on:
  • the effect of the export on provinces other than the one supplying the electricity, and
  • whether the applicant has told Canadian buyers about the available electricity and offered them a fair chance to buy it on similar terms.
• The application is publicly available on the CER website, and the Applicant will provide a copy by email on request (contact: jnbell@DRWHoldings.com).
• Deadlines:
  • Written submissions to the CER and emailed to the Applicant are due by 26 May 2025.
  • Any answers from the Applicant to submissions are due by 10 June 2025.

Who's affected#

• DRW Energy Trading Canada ULC (the company that applied).
• Companies that buy and sell electricity, including generators and marketers.
• Provincial electricity authorities and market operators, and possibly electricity customers in the province supplying the power.
• Other interested groups who monitor cross‑border electricity trade, such as utilities and large industrial or commercial electricity consumers.

It is not clear from the notice which Canadian province the electricity would be exported from.

Why it matters#

• Large exports can influence how much electricity stays in Canada and could affect local supply or prices in the province that would provide the power.
• The CER is asking for public input so concerns about supply to Canadian customers and fairness to domestic buyers can be considered before a decision.
• If you represent a buyer, a utility, or a provincial regulator, this is a chance to raise any concerns by the 26 May 2025 deadline.