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TransAlta

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Headquartered in Calgary, TransAlta is one of the largest renewable producers in North America, one of the largest producers of wind power in Canada, and the largest producer of hydro power in Alberta. The company generates electricity from a wide array of traditional and renewable resources, with the majority of its power being produced by power plants they own and operate. TransAlta offers competitive electricity, natural gas, and energy solutions to large commercial organizations and wholesale marketers in a variety of industries, including retail stores, manufacturing, industrial, investor-owned utilities, public utilities, and energy production.

TransAlta’s retail offerings are tailored to businesses and organizations in Alberta that utilize more than 250,000 kWh of electricity or 2,500 gigajoules of natural gas per year.

Electricity plans

  • Index: Electricity rates are determined by the hourly market pool price of electricity. With this energy plan, the electricity rate will vary every hour. All your electricity consumption is supplied at the hourly Alberta Pool Price, and the bill will vary monthly depending on the energy market.
  • Structured Block: This plan offers a strategic approach to help you lock in a percentage of your electricity usage at a fixed price and leave the remaining usage at variable rates.
  • Load Following: This energy plan offers a fixed rate for all your electricity consumption including thresholds of (+/-20%). This option guarantees a stable price even when market prices fluctuate.

Natural Gas plans

  • Index: This plan follows the daily market rate and gives you the flexibility to immediately lock your future natural gas supply at a competitive fixed rate.
  • Fixed: The fixed natural gas plan offers stability. By setting a fixed price based on your consumption history, the fluctuation of natural gas prices due to seasonal temperature changes won’t affect rates.

TransAlta History

TransAlta was first formed as the Calgary Power Company in 1911 to meet the growing needs — and populace — of the City of Calgary. Its first project was the construction of a hydroelectric dam at Horseshoe Falls, supplying the city with 3,000 horsepower upon its completion in 1911. Eventually, the dam was expanded to supply a total of 13,500 horsepower.

The Calgary Power Company grew as it developed several more hydroelectric dams along the Bow River. Perhaps the most unique feature of its dams was its use of lignum vitae — a type of wood derived from Guaiacum trees — for the dam bearings. TransAlta still uses lignum vitae bearings for their modern-day dam projects.

In 1981, the company changed its name to TransAlta, to reflect the spread of its operations across the entirety of the province of Alberta. It was the first utility in Alberta to offer an incentive program for industrial energy efficiency and was also the first Canadian electricity generation company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

With the advent of energy deregulation in Alberta, TransAlta spun off its retail and distribution businesses, choosing to focus strictly on electricity generation.

It currently operates more than 70 power plants around the world, powered from a variety of sources, including geothermal, wind, hydroelectric, natural gas, and coal. Currently, plants powered by renewable resources comprise one-quarter of their holdings.

TransAlta recently developed the company TransAlta Renewables, with that company’s sole focus being the development and growth of its renewable-resource energy production facilities.