Some Albertans to pay more for electricity in August

Albertans on the variable regulated rate option (RRO) will be paying more for power in August.

With the flip of the calendar, the RRO for Enmax customers jumped more than four cents overnight — from 27.58 cents per kWh to 31.86 cents per kWh, according to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC).

This is the highest the electricity rate has been in the last year, with the next closest being February 2023, when the RRO for Enmax customers was 29.68 cents per kWh.

But, the high winter rate didn’t hit the pocketbooks of Albertans the way this summer’s is supposed to, because the provincial government had capped rates at a maximum of 13.5 cents per kWh.

Read more: Alberta’s regulated electricity rate option set to soar

The cap was a part of the UCP’s Affordability Action Plan, which was in place from January to March of this year.

The AUC says delivery charges, which are regulated by the commission, currently account for more than half of a person’s bill, while the retail energy charge accounts for around 25 per cent. Other charges include administration fees from the energy retailers, local access fees, GST, and a balancing pool allocation.

An increase to already-high power and natural gas bills, alongside grocery prices and an overall inflated cost of living, is expected to put a damper on many Albertans’ financial situations.

Experts say households could see their bills increase between $115 and $150 this month.