AlbertaEx Seeks Permit to Export Electricity

Summary#

• AlbertaEx, L.P. applied to the Canada Energy Regulator on 2 September 2023 for permission to export up to 2,000,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity a year for 10 years to the United States.
• The regulator is asking for public views before it decides whether to issue a permit or move the application to a full licensing process.

What it does#

• Asks for permission to export up to 2,000,000 MWh of combined firm and interruptible electricity each year for 10 years.
• Lists generation and transmission interests the applicant or its affiliates have in Canada, including:
  • the Montana‑Alberta Tie line (MATL) — a 230 kilovolt (kV), 345 km transmission line between Lethbridge, Alberta, and Great Falls, Montana;
  • the Rattlesnake Ridge Wind farm — a 130 megawatt (MW) wind farm near Medicine Hat, Alberta;
  • NAT‑1 — a 20 MW natural-gas generator near Medicine Hat; and
  • AltaLink — a transmission facility owner in Alberta.
• The regulator wants comments on two main points:
  • whether exporting this electricity would affect provinces other than the one it’s exported from; and
  • whether Canadian buyers who expressed interest were told about the available electricity and given a fair chance to buy it.
• How to see or comment on the application:
  • request a copy by emailing info@BHE-Canada.ca or view it on the CER website;
  • written submissions were to be filed with the CER and emailed to the applicant by 2 October 2023;
  • any reply from the applicant to those submissions was to be filed and emailed by 17 October 2023.

Who's affected#

• Electricity buyers and utilities in Canada, especially in provinces other than the exporting province, who might compete for the same supply.
• Companies that own or operate generation and transmission in Alberta (for example, AltaLink and users of MATL).
• Any person or company that has declared an interest in buying electricity for use in Canada, since the regulator is asking whether they were informed and offered a chance to buy.
• Members of the public and groups interested in cross‑border electricity trade who want to provide comments to the regulator.

Why it matters#

• Large exports can affect how much electricity is available for Canadian buyers and could influence local electricity prices or grid operations in other provinces.
• The regulator’s review gives Canadian buyers and provincial interests a chance to raise concerns before a permit might be issued.
• The decision will shape cross‑border electricity trade tied to specific Canadian generation and transmission assets.