Rainbow Energy electricity export application

Summary#

An application from Rainbow Energy Marketing Corporation to the Canada Energy Regulator asks to export large amounts of electricity to the United States. The Commission of the Canada Energy Regulator is seeking public input before deciding whether to grant a permit or move to a licensing process.

What it does#

• The applicant filed its request on 10 July 2024 to export up to 4,380,000 MWh of firm energy annually and up to 4,380,000 MWh of interruptible energy annually for 10 years under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act.
• The Commission wants written comments from interested parties before it issues a permit or refers the file for licensing.
• The Commission specifically asks for views on:
  • the effect of the export on provinces other than the one the electricity would come from, and
  • whether the applicant informed potential Canadian buyers and gave them a fair chance to buy electricity on terms as favourable as those in the application.
• The application is available on the CER website. A copy will be sent by email if requested at powerconfirms@rainbowenergy.com.
• Key deadlines:
  • Written submissions due by 21 August 2024.
  • Any answers from the applicant to submissions due by 5 September 2024.
• Filing and contact details: the CER prefers online filing (e-filing); if needed, documents can be emailed to secretary@cer-rec.gc.ca or questions phoned to the Secretary of the Commission at 403‑292‑4800.

Who's affected#

• Companies that buy and sell bulk electricity, such as exporters, importers and power marketers.
• Provincial governments and utilities, especially those in provinces that might supply the exported electricity.
• Large electricity customers (industrial or commercial buyers) who could have been offered the power the applicant plans to export.
• Transmission operators and others involved in moving power across borders.
• It is not clear from the notice which province the exports would originate from; that detail would matter to identify local effects.

Why it matters#

• Approving a long-term export permit could change how much electricity stays in a province versus how much is sold abroad. That can affect availability and prices for local buyers.
• The process gives provinces, utilities and other domestic buyers a chance to say whether their interests are protected.
• The public and affected parties have set deadlines to submit views that the Commission will consider before making its decision.