AlbertaEx Seeks Broader Electricity Export Permit

Summary#

AlbertaEx G.P. Inc., on behalf of AlbertaEx, L.P., has applied to the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) to change its existing export permit so it can export electricity from any international power line in Canada, not just from Alberta. The current authorization allows up to 2 000 000 MWh of combined firm and interruptible energy per year for 10 years; this is a request to broaden where that electricity can be exported from. This is an application, not a final decision, and the CER is asking for public input.

What it does#

• Asks the CER to vary Permit EPE-498 so AlbertaEx can export electricity from all international interties in Canada rather than only from Alberta.
• Keeps the same overall quantity: up to 2 000 000 MWh per year of combined firm and interruptible energy for 10 years (as stated in the existing authorization).
• Notes that the applicant (or its affiliates) has interests in specific Canadian facilities:
  • the Montana‑Alberta Tie Line (MATL), a 230‑kilovolt (kV), 345 km transmission line between Lethbridge, Alberta, and Great Falls, Montana;
  • the Rattlesnake Ridge Windfarm, a 130‑megawatt (MW) wind farm southwest of Medicine Hat, Alberta;
  • the NAT‑1 power plant, a 20 MW natural‑gas generator northwest of Medicine Hat, Alberta;
  • and AltaLink (a transmission facility owner in Alberta).
• The CER is seeking written submissions from interested parties and may either issue a varied permit or send the matter into a licensing procedure. The application itself is available on the CER website and can be requested from the applicant by email.

Who's affected#

• The applicant, AlbertaEx G.P. Inc. and its partner AlbertaEx, L.P..
• Electricity buyers and utilities in Canada who might compete for or be offered electricity that could otherwise be sold domestically.
• Transmission owners and operators such as AltaLink, and holders of international interties like MATL.
• Provincial regulators and market operators in provinces other than Alberta, because the CER explicitly wants views on cross‑provincial effects.
• Local communities and other stakeholders near the listed generation or transmission facilities may have an interest. If it’s unclear exactly who will be affected in specific provinces or communities, the CER’s call for comments is intended to surface those concerns.

Why it matters#

• Expanding the geographic scope of the export permit could change where in Canada electricity is sourced for export. That could influence which generators sell to foreign buyers versus domestic customers.
• The move could raise practical questions about domestic supply, market competition, and how provinces share or protect electricity for local use. The CER is asking for information on those effects before deciding.
• Interested parties have a chance to comment: written submissions are due 20 January 2026, and the applicant can answer submissions by 5 February 2026. These deadlines matter if you want to make your views part of the regulator’s decision.