Grande Prairie City Council will continue advocating for “more equitable” electricity distribution in 2025.
ATCO explains Distribution and Transmission charges cover the cost of electricity getting to you. Transmission lines transport electricity from the power plants to substations around the province, and all electricity customers in Alberta pay for their construction and maintenance; however, officials say “most of the costs” are paid for by the heaviest users.
According to Mayor Jackie Clayton, residents have continued to indicate their frustrations regarding the cost electricity distribution in the ATCO service area, saying the disparity between Alberta’s metros and Grande Prairie is significant and continues to grow.
“I would say- potentially, the number one item that remains on the list would be electricity distribution costs,” she says. “We hear regularly from residents and businesses that the detrimental difference between urban centres- Edmonton and Calgary, and the ATCO service area, is significant, and that gap continues to widen.”
Clayton says right now, the average Grande Prairie customer pays around three and a half times more in distribution costs than a similar customer would in Calgary or Edmonton.
“This comes down to the fact that an Edmonton or Calgary household would pay approximately $5 more per month, to equalize the entire province,” she says.
As a result, the City has indicated its plans to continue advocating to the province, working with municipal partners in the service area, and engaging with ATCO itself to come up with a solution.
