The AUC’s electronic filing tool used to manage, search and upload application documents
Rules that set out requirements and processes for all entities under the AUC’s jurisdiction
Full list of all recently issued regulatory documents
Legislation regulating the energy and utilities sector
Current electricity and gas rates in Alberta
How the AUC reviews and determines utility rates
Resources for questions and general concerns involving regulated utilities
Answers to common utility related questions
Highlighting a few projects and applications currently being reviewed and considered
General information about creating an account and using the eFiling System
A list of active registered applications being considered
What is involved in reviewing power generation facilities in Alberta
Established process to review applications
Livestream broadcast of AUC hearings
Engage in a consultation
Resources for participating in an AUC hearing process
A trusted leader that delivers innovative and efficient regulatory solutions for Alberta
Your source for AUC news, bulletins and announcements
Electric, gas, water utilities and renewable power generation
Stories of innovative regulatory solutions for Albertans and happenings at the AUC
Alberta Tariff Billing Code Rules
January 1, 2020
Rule 004 sets out the requirements for owners of electric or natural gas distribution systems to provide timely and accurate tariff billing information to retail service providers in a standardized format. This helps to ensure that billing to the end-use electricity and natural gas customers are also billed in a timely and accurate manner. The rule defines business processes and mechanics for producing and transmitting the tariff bill-ready information. It also defines how retailers must operate to facilitate the transmittal of tariff bill-ready information.
The AUC initially developed the tariff billing code in 2004 using a consultative process to define the necessary business rules and processes to enable the transfer of billing information between AUC-regulated electric and natural gas distribution companies and the retailers that are responsible for billing the end-use customers.
The AUC regularly engages with stakeholders to identify improvements and revisions that need to be made to Rule 004 to keep the rule relevant and reflective of the requirements of the retail electricity and natural gas market.
Distributor and retailer test scenarios have be developed as a result of the most recent work of the tariff billing code revision working group.
Standard codes for Rule 004
The current codes provided are subject to Rule 004 requirements in order to provide timely and accurate tariff billing information.
Background to development of the code:
Carbon Levy Implementation and follow-up
Fort McMurray fires stakeholder meetings on customer and billing issues
On May 3, 2016, Fort McMurray and surrounding areas in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo were under threat of an out of control wildfire that resulted in the government issuing a mandatory evacuation order to approximately 80,000 residents in the area. On May 4, 2016, ATCO Electric and ATCO Gas advised market participants that they were actively monitoring the situation in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo area and working with local authorities and provincial officials to keep residents, employees and emergency personnel safe.
In order to ensure effective oversight of utility delivery, and to support government efforts to minimize the impact on affected Albertans, AUC staff invited industry stakeholders who had customers in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo area to participate in a number of telephone conference calls.
Retailer performance metrics reporting The following document templates are to be used by regulated retailers for reporting results for each of the retailer performance metrics described in Table 2-2 in Section 2.14 of the code.
Performance Monitoring Metrics Pseudocode The following document describes, in a generic way, the programming logic that should be taken into consideration when developing reporting results for each of the distributor performance metrics described in Table 2-2 in Section 2.14 of the code.
Distributor performance monitoring metrics reporting The following document templates are to be used by regulated electric and gas distributors for reporting results for each of the distributor performance metrics described in Table 2-2 in Section 2.14 of the code.
Distributor specific practices Distributors have different operational practices that affect how tariff billing information is disclosed.
The AUC has solicited disclosure of the following:
Compliance plans The compliance plans outline the procedures, roles, responsibilities and timelines to transact according to the rule. Version 2.0 of the rule was in effect as of April 1, 2015.
Compliance plans applicable to previous versions of the Tariff Billing Code (Versions 1.0 to 1.3)
Compliance plans – exemptions
Exemptions, if any, can be found within the compliance plan of the individual distributor and regulated rate providers.
See all Rule 004 forms, templates and reference materials
Rule 004 Reference material (A, C, D, E, F, G, H and I)
Previous versions of this rule and related bulletins can be found in the consultations library. Sort by topic (Rule 004) and by document type to find the information you are looking for.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.