The City of Lethbridge Electric Utility (LEU) provides electricity at RRO rates to 34,000 customers, including 2,500 small businesses in Lethbridge. Its utility services division handles customer care, billing, collections, and other technical services for all utilities in the city, and reads 66,000 electricity meters every month.
The Lethbridge Electric Utility focuses on four areas of service:
- Operation as a transmission-facility owner, compensated by the Alberta Independent System Operator for operation and maintenance services
- Distribution as a wire services provider and operator of Lethbridge’s distribution system
- Energy provision to utility customers who elect to receive the regulated rate option for their area
- Provision of dark fibre services for public organizations in the city
History of Lethbridge Electric Utility
In 1907, the municipal government of the City of Lethbridge took control of power generation and production by purchasing the facilities of the Lethbridge Electric Light Company. The existing plant was destroyed by fire before the new facility was complete, but by 1913 the Lethbridge power production plant was fully operational. The city’s utility company was able to provide electricity at an especially cheap price, due to its access to its own municipally-owned coal mine.
The Lethbridge Electric Utility generated and distributed power for the City of Lethbridge until 1970, when it sold off the power plant and shifted focus strictly to energy transmission.
The City of Lethbridge constructs, owns, operates and repairs all of the electrical and natural gas transmission, distribution and service facilities within the city. The city offers RRO rates to residents and small businesses as an alternative to competitive retailers in the area. However, it does not directly offer natural gas services. Lethbridge is currently upgrading equipment to improve the integration of renewable sources of energy into the local grid.
Visit us at EnergyRates.ca to learn more about Lethbridge utilities and their rates.
