Author: Richard Goldberger

The AUC has issued a report analyzing Alberta’s electricity distribution system in the context of achieving net-zero goals. The report, conducted by external consultant Guidehouse, was released January 24, 2024,… Continue reading Net-zero analysis of Alberta’s electricity distribution system

The AUC continues to change and adapt to improve its work and become an increasingly effective and efficient regulator. We remain committed to ongoing regulatory enhancement, process improvement and streamlining.… Continue reading Streamlining progress and red tape reduction

In 2022 the AUC continued to change and adapt to find improvements to our work and become an increasingly effective and efficient regulator. We continued to see a significant number… Continue reading Looking back on an important year for the AUC

The government of Alberta recently implemented a temporary price cap for Regulated Rate Option (RRO) electricity consumers to limit their exposure to high electricity bills during the winter months. The… Continue reading Government of Alberta caps regulated rate option for remaining winter months

The AUC works to ensure that Albertans are referred to the right supports to keep their lights on and homes warm over the winter months. The AUC has a vulnerable… Continue reading Help for utility customers at risk of being disconnected during winter months

Alberta is the largest producer of hydrogen in Canada and has been producing hydrogen for more than 50 years. As the most abundant element in the universe, hydrogen can be… Continue reading AUC releases report on inquiry into hydrogen blending in natural gas distribution systems

The AUC regulates four companies who own and operate the province’s electric distribution system (ATCO Electric Ltd., Fortis Alberta Inc., ENMAX Power Corporation, and EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc.) and… Continue reading Establishing parameters for the third generation of performance-based regulation

The AUC recently held a virtual workshop together with Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) and the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) on the afternoon of July 21, 2022, to guide… Continue reading AUC holds virtual power plant application workshop to guide stakeholders through updates and streamlining recommendations

The AUC has recently received a high number of inquiries from Albertans looking to develop power plants (e.g., thermal, wind, solar) to produce their own energy without having to submit… Continue reading Regulatory streamlining of new power plants between one and less than 10 MW; exemption for own-use power plants eliminated

The Alberta Utilities Commission takes its role of regulating transmission, distribution and regulated retail rates very seriously and ensures that it has the expertise to scrutinize and consider rate applications… Continue reading Why was there an increase to my utility bill this month?

The AUC recently released it’s enforcement report for January to June 2021. The report summarizes the results of the AUC’s compliance and enforcement activities from the first half of 2021 under a number of categories. These reports provide a transparent look at the AUC ‘s investigations into complaints, penalty matters, related outcomes, and ensures a comprehensive, flexible dispute resolution and compliance process which contributes to a broader goal of increasing efficiency and limiting regulatory burden.

Increasing our efficiency as a regulator and reducing the regulatory burden are both critically important and have been key commitments of the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC). ​​

We are pleased to share we have achieved a 48 per cent reduction in regulatory requirements set out in our rules, exceeding the government of Alberta and Department of Energy’s red tape reduction target to reduce mandatory requirements by one-third.

n Alberta, residents, industry and governments are getting a crash course in a relatively new business that’s recently landed at our doorstep: Bitcoin mining. Although the business may be new the regulatory requirements have existed for many years to ensure that the power plants that provide electricity to these facilities operate in a safe manner.

Bitcoin is a digital currency and the world’s first completely open payment network, which anyone with an internet connection can participate in. It was designed to be used on the internet, doesn’t depend on banks or private companies to process transactions, allows for secure peer-to-peer transactions on the internet, and is not owned by an individual or company.

The AUC recently held a virtual workshop on the afternoon of April 22, 2021, to guide stakeholders through the changes to Rule 007: Applications for Power Plants, Substations, Transmission Lines, Industrial… Continue reading AUC holds Rule 007 virtual workshop to guide stakeholders through recent changes

Today, the AUC has released its updated strategic plan​ for the next three years. It is an important framework for the AUC as we aspire to be the North American benchmark… Continue reading New AUC strategic plan guides refined focus on efficiency, facilitating change, and people

After a successful pilot project the AUC is announcing new performance targets four our cost claim and review and variance application review process. Through the pilot project we were able… Continue reading Shortened timelines and increased accountability for issuing cost claim and review and variance decisions

The AUC has released the final report of its Distribution S​ystem Inquiry (Proceeding 24116) which examined the need to modernize Alberta’s distribution system to realize benefits from advancing technologies. A… Continue reading Looking to the future: AUC releases final report of Distribution System Inquiry into modernization of grid to realize benefits of distributed energy resources

The AUC is continuously looking for effective and efficient ways to improve our processes and provide opportunities to have a say about utility development in Alberta. The AUC recently introduced… Continue reading AUC introduces pilot programs to provide notice and information to residents