AlbertaEx Seeks Broader Electricity Export Permit

Summary#

AlbertaEx G.P. Inc., on behalf of AlbertaEx, L.P., has applied to the Canada Energy Regulator to change its existing export permit (Permit EPE-498). The company wants to be allowed to export up to 2 000 000 MWh of combined firm and interruptible electricity each year for 10 years, and to export from all international power lines out of Canada instead of only from Alberta. The CER is asking for public comments before it decides; deadlines for submissions are set.

What it does#

• Asks the CER to vary Permit EPE-498 so exports can come from all international power lines from Canada rather than only from Alberta.
• Keeps the existing quantity and term the same: up to 2 000 000 MWh annually for 10 years (combined firm and interruptible service).
• Identifies facilities the applicant or its affiliates have interests in:
  • Montana‑Alberta Tie Line (MATL) — a 230‑kilovolt (kV), 345 km transmission line between Lethbridge, Alberta, and Great Falls, Montana.
  • Rattlesnake Ridge Windfarm — a 130‑megawatt (MW) wind farm near Medicine Hat, Alberta.
  • NAT‑1 — a 20 MW natural‑gas fired generator near Medicine Hat, Alberta.
  • AltaLink — a transmission facility owner in Alberta.
• Starts a public comment process. The application was filed on 5 December 2025. Written submissions to the CER are due 20 January 2026. Any replies by the applicant to submissions are due 5 February 2026.
• The CER specifically asks comment on:
  • Effects of the export on provinces other than the exporting province.
  • Whether the applicant told interested Canadian buyers about available electricity and gave them a fair chance to buy under comparable conditions.

Who's affected#

• Electricity buyers and wholesale market participants across Canada, especially those who might have wanted to buy the electricity that would otherwise be exported.
• Provincial governments and electricity regulators, because exports can change power flows and market conditions outside Alberta.
• Owners and operators of cross‑border and interprovincial transmission lines and generators (for example MATL, Rattlesnake Ridge Windfarm, NAT‑1, and AltaLink).
• The general public, to the extent changes in exports could influence local supply or prices.
• It is not clear from the notice whether any Indigenous groups or other specific communities were directly consulted; the CER is asking interested parties to provide views.

Why it matters#

• Expanding the geographic scope means electricity approved for export could leave Canada from different border points, not just from Alberta. That can change where and how power flows across the grid.
• Larger or more flexible export routes may affect wholesale electricity availability and prices in provinces other than Alberta. That could have downstream effects on consumers and businesses.
• The CER will consider whether Canadian buyers were given fair opportunity to purchase the electricity before it’s exported. This is about balancing export opportunities with domestic needs.
• This is a proposal under review, not a decision. The CER will use the public comments to decide whether to grant the change, or to move the case to a licensing process.