WHO’S WHO IN THE ALBERTA ELECTRICITY MARKET

The electricity market in Alberta comprises regulators, power producers and power consumers. The following is an abbreviated list of the major players taking part in the provincial power market.

Alberta Electric System

Operator — The foundation of the provincial market, the AESO plans, operates and maintains the transmission system where electricity ebbs and flows every minute of the day. This agency wrote the rules governing the wholesale electricity market, and polices the 170-odd participants for compliance to the rules. Breaches of rules are taken to the Market Surveillance Administrator for full investigation. Market Surveillance Administrator — This watchdog agency exists under the Alberta Utilities Commission Act with a mandate to oversee, investigate and enforce rules in the provincial electricity and retail natural gas markets. It serves as the sheriff to the policing of the Alberta Electric System Operator, and submits reports to the provincial regulator for final settlement. The Alberta Utilities

Commission — The quasijudicial agency regulates natural gas and electricity markets to protect the interest of Albertans “where competitive forces do not.” It is the judge to the system operator and market administrator’s rule complaints. The agency also decides distribution rates and regulated rate options based on power and gas utilities’ requests. The Utilities Consumer

Advocate — The Advocate provides unbiased information about Alberta’s electricity and natural gas markets to consumers, including explaining markets and providing easy to read comparisons of retail energy suppliers. The agency has the power to investigate, mediate and represent consumers to provincial regulators and the utilities industry.

The Balancing Pool — Manages the financial accounts created during the transition to an open power market. The Balancing Pool also manages certain sold and unsold power purchase agreements. Depending if there is a surplus or excess of funds after covering its costs, the agency either rebates or charges Alberta consumers. This year, expect a $5.50 per megawatt-hour consumer allocation, up from $2 per MW-H in 2011.

Generators — In Alberta, generators own their facilities and sell off the power in a variety of contract forms.

Retailers — Companies, including generators, buying and selling power to industry, commercial and residential customers.

— Dina O’meara