DRW Energy export to United States

Summary#

DRW Energy Trading Canada ULC has applied to the Canada Energy Regulator to export electricity to the United States. The company asks to export up to 1,752,000 MWh a year for 10 years, and the regulator is asking for public views before deciding.

What it does#

• The application (filed on 11 April 2025) asks for permission to export up to 1,752,000 MWh of combined firm and interruptible energy each year for 10 years.
• The Commission of the Canada Energy Regulator is seeking comments from interested parties before it issues a permit or refers the application to a formal licensing process under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act.
• The Commission specifically wants views on:
  • the possible effect of the export on provinces other than the one where the electricity would originate; and
  • whether the applicant has told people who want to buy power in Canada about the quantities being offered and given them a fair chance to buy it.
• Deadlines:
  • Written submissions are due by 26 May 2025.
  • Any answers from the applicant to those submissions are due by 10 June 2025.
• The application is available on the CER website and can be requested by email from the applicant. Contact details and filing instructions are on the regulator’s public notice.

Who's affected#

• DRW Energy Trading Canada ULC (the applicant) and its potential U.S. buyers.
• Canadian electricity traders and exporters who operate cross-border.
• Provincial utilities and grid operators in provinces that might supply the exported power.
• Large industrial or commercial electricity consumers in Canada who are potential buyers or who could notice changes in supply or price.
• The public and other interested parties who may want to make a submission to the Commission.
• If it’s unclear which province would be the source of the exported power, the Commission is asking for information on effects in provinces beyond the export source.

Why it matters#

• Approving the export could move a substantial amount of electricity—1,752,000 MWh yearly—out of Canada, which could affect supply or market conditions for some buyers or regions.
• The regulator’s review is meant to check whether Canadian buyers had a fair chance to buy that electricity first, and whether exports would harm other provinces’ interests.
• This is a public consultation step. People or organizations with concerns or information have a set window (26 May 2025 and 10 June 2025) to tell the Commission before a final decision is made.