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Alberta Energy Glossary

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In this post, we aim to provide you with the most comprehensive glossary pertaining to energy-related terms that are relevant in Alberta. Our focus here will be on natural gas, electricity, and green energy – on the other hand, we will not be covering oil, bitumen, or water industries below.

If you wish to learn more about energy bill-related terms, check out our post on them here – we won’t be covering them in this post to avoid redundancy.

Why do I need a glossary of energy terms in Alberta?

Every market will have its own terms – glossaries help make navigating energy information a lot easier because every definition you’ll ever need will be in one place. Since Alberta is the least regulated electricity and natural gas market in Canada, there are several unique terms that can be difficult to understand for the average consumer.

A

  • Affiliated Power Producer – Any company affiliated with a utility that generates power.
  • Alberta Department of Energy (ADOE) – The Alberta Department of Energy. Engages in the stewardship and responsible development of energy and mineral resource systems to sustain the interests of Albertans.
  • Alberta Energy Company (AECO) – The Canadian benchmark price for natural gas on the Nova Gas Transmission LTD. system that’s located in Niska, Alberta gas storage facilities.
  • Alberta Electric Systems Operator (AESO) – A non-for-profit corporate entity that is responsible for the operation of the Albertan Energy Grid, as well as for matching supply to demand throughout Alberta. Additionally, this entity operates the province’s wholesale market and plans and develops its provincial transmission system.
  • Alberta Energy Company’s Storage Hub (AECO-C) – A virtual trading point that sets the main pricing index for Canadian and Alberta natural gas.
  • Alberta Energy Company’s Storage Hub Price (AECO-C Price) – The Natural Ga Exchange volumed weighted average of transacted prices for all natural gas that was physically delivered in a month.
  • Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (AEUB) – A regulatory body responsible for overseeing the economic, orderly, and efficient development and operation of hydro energy in the public interest. Also responsible for the generation and transmission of electric energy in Alberta.
  • Alberta Interconnected Electrical System (AIES) – Alberta’s transmission system or grid that is planned and operated by the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO).
  • Alberta Natural Gas Reference Price (ARP) – The weighted average field price of all Alberta gas sales on a monthly basis for the purpose of royalties.
  • Alberta Rural Utility Association (ARUA) – An organization that is an alliance of the Federation of Alberta Gas Co-ops LTD., the Alberta Federation of Rural Electrification Associations, Alberta Federation of Rural Water Co-operatives Ltd., Gas Alberta Inc., Prairie Power Ltd., the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties. The purpose of this organization is to send a message to the government in regards to common issues affecting rural utilities and their consumers.
  • Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) – An independent, quasi-judicial administrative tribunal created by provincial law. Ensures that utility services in Alberta re-delivered safely, reliably, and fairly in addition to regulating investor-owned natural gas and electric utilities.
  • Alternative or emerging technologies – New and/or emerging technologies that can be used as an alternative to existing means of energy production – one example would be clean coal technology.
  • Alternating Current – A current flowing alternately in one direction and then in the reverse direction. In North America, the standard for AC is 60 cycles per second.
  • Ampere – The unit used to measure electric current.
  • Available Transfer Capacity (ATC) – The measure of the max amount of energy flow possible in a single direction across an intertie.
  • Average Load – The average daily consumption rate.
  • Average Published Pool Price ($/MWh) – Energy prices posted every hour by the AESO.

B

  • Backhaul – ‘Paper transport’ of natural gas through the displacement against the flow of a single pipeline so that the natural gas is delivered upstream of where it entered the system.
  • Balancing Pool – An independent corporate entity established to manage on behalf of all Albertans particular generation expenses, revenues and assets arising from the transition to competition in the Albertan electric industry.
  • Base Energy Charge Difference – The difference between the total energy load from the load settlement agent and the total energy load from the Power Pool.
  • Baseload – The minimum continuous load that is defined over a given interval of time.
  • Baseload Generation – The generation capacity normally operated for serving load all day every day.
  • Base Price ($/MWh) – Describe the contracted price of the first hedge that is used as a base in combination with another hedge for the creation of minimum exposure to the market.
  • Battery – Refers to two or more cells that are connected together in such a way to store electricity.
  • Bi-directional Pipeline – Pipeline systems (such as gas or liquid) that are capable of flowing product in both directions.
  • Bilateral Transactions – An electricity energy supply arrangement in which the terms are negotiated between a consumer and energy retailer.
  • Binding Day-Ahead Market – Describes a binding transaction between a buyer and seller in which the electric energy transfers from the seller to the buy one day prior to physical delivery.
  • Bioenergy – Energy that is usually in the form of heat or electricity that is derived from biomass conversion.
  • Biogas – Describes the gas emissions from the anaerobic degradation of organic material by various bacteria.
  • Biomass – Organic matter (such as crop waste or municipal solid waste) that can be processed for energy production.
  • Boiler – A device that applies heat energy to water – the resulting steam drives engines or turbines for power generation.
  • Breaker/ main line switch – A device that is located on an electrical circuit to interrupt the flow of abnormally large current for protective purposes.
  • Bulk Electricity – Describes large quantities of electrical power at transmission voltages – generally to run industrial plant facilities.
  • Bundling Electricity – The combination of generation, transmission and distribution costs in addition to other services into a single rate that will be charged to retail customers.

C

  • Canadian Electrical Association (CEA) – The Canadian Electricity Association is an organization that advocates for innovation and sustainability, as well as calls for safe, secure and sustainable electricity for all Canadians.
  • Capacity – The max sustainable amount of electrical energy that can be delivered or carried at any instant – it’s usually measured in watts. This applies to transmission systems or equipment pieces such as generating units or appliances.
  • Capacity Factor – The ratio of average load to rated capacity during a defined period of time.
  • Capacitor/Capacitor Bank – A device for controlling voltages by eliminating a voltage drop in a system.
  • Capacity Market Model – A market model in which generators are paid for having generation available for supply.
  • Carbon Offset – Represents a reduction in greenhouse gas via a financial instrument.
  • Circuit – Either a conductor or a system of conductors in which electric current flows.
  • Cogeneration – This refers to when electric energy and thermal (steam) energy is generated at the same time – the electrical energy is for industrial plant use or sale while the heat energy is for buildings and industrial processes.
  • Cogeneration Gas Plant – Gas power plants that generate both electricity and steam.
  • Combined Cycle – Refers to a system where gas turbines generate electricity, and the waste head is used to make steam to generate additional electricity via a steam turbine.
  • Competitive Price Company – Refers to an energy marketer in Alberta who is licensed by Service Alberta under the Fair Services Act but whose rates are not regulated.
  • Conductor – A metallic wire or combination of wires where electric current flows.
  • Congestion – Refers to when the transmission system cannot accommodate all transactions as usual (e.g. based on merit order dispatch) due to physical or engineering limitations.
  • Contract Adjustment – The net amount of an energy contract and the sale back of any unused energy from this contract at the hourly pool price.
  • Contract Minimum Demand – Based off 2/3rds of the expected peak demand of service, this is the minimum demand.
  • Contract Unit of Measure (UOM) – Examples of units of measure in a contract could be dollars, kilowatts, or kilowatt hours.
  • Control Area – Refers to a defined region of the electricity grid in which supply and demand are balanced by the control area’s system operator.
  • Conventional Generation – Refers to electricity that has been produced at a generating station in which the prime movers are driven by gases or steam created by burning fossil fuels.
  • Converter Station – A place where electric energy is converted to direct current from alternating current or vice versa.
  • Cost Reduction Policies – The purpose of such policies is to reduce the cost of renewable projects. For example, government loan guarantees help reduce financial costs through mitigating risk to the lender as well as proving tax breaks for renewable projects.
  • Cost-of-service Model – Here utilities are allowed to set rates based on the cost of providing service to customers and the right to earn a limited profit, as set by a regulator such as a utilities commission.
  • Consumer Utilities Advocate – An organization established for monitoring and protecting the interests of Albertan residential, farm and small business consumers of electricity and natural gas. Goals include informing such consumers about restructured energy markets in Alberta, representing them at proceedings and helping consumers to help themselves.
  • Cutplanes – An imaginary line that cuts across transmission lines that connect two or more areas.

D

  • Daily Contract Quantity (DCQ) – Refers to the max amount of energy per day a customer may move under its transportation contract with a pipeline.
  • Daily Cumulative Meter (DCM) – The daily total meter consumption to settlement and retailers.
  • Daily Load Factor Chart – This chart shows one’s consumption trend over the past few months.
  • De-Energized Site – A site that is connected that is not currently consuming power.
  • Deep-cut Facilities – Natural gas processing facilities that can remove natural gas liquids from raw or processed natural gas.
  • Default Supply Rates – This rate is primarily based upon the electricity pool price (which varies from hour to hour and is dependent on weather, time of day and demand of electricity).
  • Delivery Area – The geographical location that is within a toll zone that is made up of many delivery points where shippers receive deliveries of natural gas.
  • Delivery Point – A specified point within a service agreement where pipelines deliver gas to or for the account of the shipper.
  • Demand – Describes the flow rate at which electrical energy is used over a specified period of time.
  • Demand Charge – A component of a two-part price for electricity that is based upon a customer’s peak power demand reached in a specified period, regardless of the amount of energy used.
  • Demand Ratchet – The highest demand recorded during a billing period is applied over a one-month period to level out the recovery of the required fixed costs needed to serve the demand set. This allows for customers that incurred the costs associated with supplying higher demand to pay them rather than distributing the cost among customers with smaller demands.
  • Demand Sales – An agreement between a buyer and producer where the producer will make generating capacity available to a buyer when it is demanded.
  • De-rate – A reduction in a piece of electrical equipment’s net capacity.
  • Deregulation – A lack of central planning or a monopoly where consumers are free to choose their own supplier for energy services.
  • Direction assigned to Transmission Facility Owners (TFOs) – In regulated monopolies, projects are assigned to a transmission company on the basis of their service territory.
  • Direct Current – Current flowing continuously in the same direction.
  • Dispatch – A pool participant receiving a direction from the AESO to cause, permit or alter the exchange of electric energy or ancillary services.
  • Distance of Haul – The amount of distance a product is scheduled to be moved.
  • Distribution – The systems, services, works equipment and plant required for the distribution of electric energy in a service area of 25000 volts or less.
  • Distribution Access Service – Services required for the transportation of electrical energy via means of an electric distribution system to customers.
  • Distributed Connected Generation – A generating unit interconnected with an electricity distribution system.
  • Distribution Facility Owner (DFO) – The individual or entity that owns a distribution facility.
  • Distribution Pipelines – A system of pipes for the delivery of products to individual residences or businesses.
  • Distribution System Operator – An authorized contractor that performs certain operating maintenance functions on behalf of the Wires Owner.
  • Double Circuit – Describes supporting structures that carry two power circuits.
  • Dynamic Stability – The ability or characteristic of a power system to be able to allow recovery to a normal state via damping of the oscillations generated by disturbance events.

E

  • Electricity – Energy that is resultant from positively or negatively charged particles at rest or in motion.
  • Electrical Circuit – A closed path where an electric current flows.
  • Electrical Current – Describes the flow of electrons through a conductor.
  • Electrical Grid – A system that has integrated electricity generation, transmission, and distribution as well as connections to power plants, transmission lines and individual consumers.
  • Electric Energy Marketing Agency (EEMA) – A corporation created for the purposes of alleviating the cost differentials of electric energy in both northern and southern Alberta.
  • Electrical Energy – This type of energy is commonly expressed via gigawatt-hours, megawatt-hours or kilowatt-hours.
  • Electric Power – The rate at which electrical energy is transferred by an electric circuit – is usually measured in watts.
  • Energy – Defined as the ability to do work.
  • Energy Contract – A negotiated contract between a retailer and customer that includes block size (MWh), the cost and the type of hedge being purchased. Types of energy contracts include map and third party.
  • Energy Efficiency – Measures or technologies that reduce the amount of energy or fuel necessary for the same amount of work.
  • EnerGuide – A label from the Government of Canada that indicates the efficiency of an appliance or energy consuming product.
  • Energy Intensity – The amount of energy used per unit of activity – often measured as energy use per capita and energy use per unit of GDP.
  • Energized Notification Completion (ENC) – A notification that is sent when a site is energized.
  • Energize Notification Failure – A notification sent to a retailer when a site cannot be energized.
  • Energy-Only – A market model in which power plants are only paid for the energy that they produce.
  • Energized Site – A site that is connected that is currently consuming energy.
  • ENERGY STAR – An indication of higher-than-average levels of energy efficiency in energy-consuming items.
  • Electrical Power Supervision System (EPSS) – A system that processes all metered invoicing data on behalf of UTILITYnet’s Industrial and Oil and Gas clients.
  • Equilibrium Price – This refers to when market pricing (established via competition) is at the point where the quantity sought by buyers is equivalent to the amount produced by sellers.
  • Expected Peak Demand – The expected electrical load that may be in operation at the same time.

F

  • Field (Gas) Plant – Refers to natural gas facilities that process raw gas to produce marketable product meeting pipeline specifications.
  • Field Production – Natural gas liquids that are produced at natural gas processing plants.
  • Flow-Through Price – This price is made up of the hourly pool price plus charges taking into account line losses, load shaping charges, unaccounted for energy and spot trading charges.
  • Force Majeure – A suspension of the energy market by the system controller as following the rules of the Power Pool.
  • Forward Contract – The amount of monthly consumption based upon a prepurchased fixed price.
  • Forward Market – A market in which a commodity such as electricity or natural gas is bought and sold before production.
  • Fossil Fuel – Fuel composed of carbon or hydrocarbons that is derived from the decomposition of organic material.
  • Fuel – Potential energy stored in a substance that can be released as heat energy.

G

  • Gas Plant – A facility that processes natural gas.
  • Gas Turbine – A combustion engine in power plants that converts natural gas to mechanical energy that can be used to generate electric energy.
  • General Rate Application – Describes an application that an investor-owned utility makes to the Energy Utility Board to change its electricity rates.
  • Generator – An entity that produces electric energy.
  • Generation – The process of producing electrical energy through the transformation of other types of energy.
  • Generating Unit – Describes the components in power plants that produce electric energy and ancillary services. Also includes facilities that are required for the safe, reliable and economic operation of a generating unit.
  • Geothermal Energy – The usage of geothermal heat from the Earth’s molten core for the production of electricity.
  • Geothermal Reservoir – A deposit of hot water and steam underneath the Earth’s surface heated by magma.
  • Gigawatt (GW) – Describes a measurement of capacity that is equal to one million kilowatts.
  • Gigawatt Hour (GWh) – Describes a unit of measurement equivalent to 1 million kilowatts that have been supplied, produced, or used for an hour.
  • Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions – Gases such as nitrogen oxide, methane and carbon dioxide that are produced via industrial processes that contribute to the atmospheric greenhouse effect.
  • Grid – A network consisting of electric energy connections and transmission lines.
  • Grid Parity – When alternate energy sources can generate electrical energy at a cost that is less than or equal to the cost of traditional technology.
  • Grid-scale Battery Storage – An energy storage system where energy is collected from the electrical grid though the use of electrochemical cells. Energy is then discharged to provide electricity or other grid services when required.

H

  • Heat Content – The amount of energy per volume of natural gas stream.
  • Heat Rate – The measurement of a generating plant’s thermal efficiency. Usually expressed as units of energy input per unit of energy output.
  • Head – The difference in height between the outflow at a dam and the source of water flow – the greater the head, the more potential energy is stored by the water and therefore the dam has a greater capacity to produce power.
  • High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) – The transmission of electricity via the use of direct current.
  • Hourly Pool Price – The weighted average of system marginal prices in regards to electricity.
  • Hydroelectricity – Electricity generation through the use of kinetic energy of flowing or falling water to drive a turbine generator.
  • Hydropower – Power that is generated through making use of the kinetic energy of moving water.

I

  • Index to the Pool Price – Describes a discount or a premium to the pool price.
  • Independent Power Producer – A privately owned power generation facility. May be connected to a power utility system for supplying electricity to export markets or domestic markets.
  • Industrial Power Consumers Association of Alberta (IPCCAA) – Industrial Power Consumers Association of Alberta. An organization of large industrial consumers taking a leadership role in ensuring that a competitive marketplace exists for electrical services.
  • Independent System Operator – Coordinates, monitors and controls the operations of an electrical power system.
  • Injection-Withdrawal Model – A market model in which accessing the transmission system is allocated based on consumption (for loads) and dispatch (for suppliers).
  • Interconnected Electric System – Every distribution system and electricity transmission facility in Alberta that is interconnected.
  • Interval Meter – A meter measuring in intervals of 60 minutes or less the amount of electricity consumed by a consumer for the purpose of revenue collection.
  • Insulation – A material that is a poor conductor of electricity that covers electrical components – helps to prevent short circuiting and shocks.

K

  • Kilovolt – A unit of measurement equal to 1000 volts.
  • Kilovolt-Amperes (KVA) – A unit of electrical power equal to 1000 volt-amperes.
  • Kilovolt-Ampere Hour (KVAH) – A unit of measurement equal to 1000 volt-amperes hours.
  • Kilowatt – A unit of measurement equal to 1000 watts.
  • Kilowatt of Capacity – The determination of demand amount of the purpose of billing.
  • Kilowatt hour (KWh) – A unit of measurement equal to 1000 watt hours.
  • Kinetic Energy – The energy that is possessed by something due to it being in motion – for example, kinetic energy from wind is used to drive wind turbines.

L

  • Levelized Unit Cost (LUEC) – The constant price that is required by a generating unit to cover all its expenses that it occurs in its lifetime.
  • Load – The amount of electric power that is used by devices connected to an electric system.
  • Load Limiter – A device limiting the amount of energy that a site can consume.
  • Load Factor – A measurement in kilowatts of the average load supplied in a given period.
  • Load Profile – A series of consumption amounts or load for every interval over a particular period of time.
  • Load Settlement – The process of allocating the required hourly energy for consumption at a site or zone.
  • Load Shedding – The removal of a pre-selected customer demand from a power system as a result of an abnormality to minimize overall customer outages and to maintain the integrity of the grid.
  • Local Access Fee (LAF) – Also known as a franchise fee, this is charged by a local municipality for electrical utilities to use municipal land for the purposes of an electric distribution system and sometimes the right to be the exclusive distributor for an area.
  • Local Distribution Companies (LDCs) – A distribution company in charge of the maintenance of the utility supply grid nearest residential and small commercial consumers.
  • Loss KWH – The settled loss allocation for a site for the day.

M

  • Market Achievement Plan – Allows for Albertan retailers, marketers, and consumers to purchase electricity contracts associated with unsold power purchase agreements that are held by the balancing pool.
  • Market Heat Rate – The division of the prevailing pool price by the prevailing gas price.
  • Marketable Natural Gas – The amount of gas that has had impurities removed that can be sold to the market.
  • Market Participant – Refers to any person that generates, transmits, supplies, distributes, exchanges, trades, sells, or purchases electricity alongside other associated services.
  • Market Surveillance Administrator – An independent enforcement agency that promotes competition in the Alberta wholesale and retail electricity and natural gas markets while also protecting said competition.
  • Mass Retail Market – This market is composed of the small commercial retail market and the residential market. Such consumers have an annual consumption (at one site) of less than 250 MWh.
  • Max Kilovolt Amps (Max KVA) – The demand defined in kilovolt amps for a period.
  • Max Kilowatt (Max KW) – The demand for kilowatts for a period.
  • Measurement Data – Data that has been collected and compensated aggregated and checked appropriately from meters.
  • Measurement Point Definition Record – The design or physical profile of a metering site.
  • Megawatt (MW) – A unit of measurement representing one million watts.
  • Megawatt hour (MWH) – A unit of measurement representing one million watt hours.
  • Merchant Transmission – Transmission lines constructed for the purpose of selling transmission capacity to third parties.
  • Merit Order – The AESO ranks from lowest to highest bid to match electricity demand and supply on the power pool.
  • Meter – A device measuring energy consumption being used by a home or business.
  • Meter Data Management (MDM) – Responsible for the collection, correction and validation of meter data as well as interval meter data. Also stores historic data and reports load and consumption data to the appropriate parties.
  • Meter Data Management ID – Each ID is a 4-digit number that represents each meter data management company that operates within Alberta. Each ID will begin with a ‘2’. See the end of section M of this glossary for a list of meter data management IDs and which company they belong to.
  • Meter Reading Type – The type of meter such as actual or estimate taken for a given billing period.
  • Metering System – The devices required to meter a site – includes communications a meter, as well as current or potential transformers.
  • Municipal Franchise Fee – A fee that is set by a municipality as a charge for natural gas facilities for being on municipal property.
MDM ID #Meter Data Management Company
2010ATCO
2020ENMAX
2030EPCOR
2040FORTIS
2050Lethbridge
2060Crowsnest Pass
2070Red Deer
2080Ponoka
2090Fort MacLeod
2100Cardston
2110SouthAlta REA
2120Rocky REA
2121Horseguard REA
2130Central REA
2140Battle River REA
2150Barrhead REA
2151Duffield REA
2153Wild Rose REA
2154Yellowhead REA
2156Sion REA
2160Manning REA
2165Lakeland REA
2170MIDAS
2180TransAlta
2190Trackflow
2195AltaLink

N

  • National Research Council (NRC) – The NRC provides several resources pertaining to energy such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, integrated community energy solutions and more.
  • Natural Gas – Hydrocarbon in gaseous form.
  • Natural Gas Liquids – Refers to ethane, propane, pentane or a combination of these that are obtained from processing raw gas.
  • Natural Gas Liquids Recovery (Straddle Plant) – Such plants extract natural gas liquids from marketable gas.
  • Natural Gas Reserves – The total amount of remaining natural gas that is marketable in discovered pools that can be currently extracted in the current economic conditions.
  • Net-Zero – Balancing emissions and the removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere so that the net effect is zero emissions.
  • Non-Usage Energy Charge – Examples of such charges include loss, spot trading charges and unaccounted for energy.
  • North American Electricity Reliability Council (NERC) – The NERC is responsible for aspects of an international electricity system serving 334 million people through developing and maintain reliability standards.
  • Nuclear Generation – The fissioning of nuclear fuel to create heat that creates steam in a boiler to drive a turbine and thus electricity generation.

O

  • Offset – See carbon offset.
  • Ohm – The standard unit of measurement for measuring electrical resistance of a conductor.
  • Off-Peak – A period where the load delivered by an electrical or natural gas system is not near the maximum volume delivered by that system.
  • Off-Peak Hours – In Alberta, these are defined as: E01 through HE07 + HE24 (of the same day), Monday through Saturday + HE01 through HE24 Sundays (prevailing Mountain time)
  • On Peak – This term describes electricity supplied during a period of high system demands.
  • On-Peak Hours – In Alberta, these are defined as: HE08 through HE23, Monday through Saturday (prevailing Mountain time)
  • Operating Reserve – Describes the capability above system demand available to the Alberta Interconnected Electric system 10 minutes after a supply contingency necessary to provide for system regulation and local area protection. Additionally, it is also to correct and stabilize the system during load forecasting errors, forced outages and contingencies.
  • Overload – Describes the operating of electrical equipment above its normal full-load rating.

P

  • Parallel Path – Describes the flow of electrical power on one electrical system’s transmission facilities as a result of scheduled electric power transfers between other electric systems.
  • Passive Solar Energy – Refers to energy that is from the sun that is used without conversion into a different form such as electricity. Is most often used for heating buildings.
  • Peak Load/Demand – The max power demand or load that is registered by a customer or group of customers or a system within a stated time period.
  • Peaking Capacity – Describes the capacity that generating equipment normally has reserved for operation during the hours of the highest daily, weekly, or seasonal loads.
  • Photovoltaic Effect – The process of certain substances generating electricity when exposed to light.
  • Point-of-Delivery – Refers to the point at which energy counts as having been delivered from the transmission system to the distribution system.
  • Point-of-Distribution-Supply – Refers to the point at which energy counts as supplied on the distribution system – this point is the interconnection between a distributed generator and distribution system.
  • Pool Price – The cost of electricity in real-time that is bought or sold on the power pool.
  • Potential Energy – Potential energy refers to energy that is stored in an object. When fossil fuels are burned, potential energy is released.
  • Power – The rate at which energy is transferred or work is performed.
  • Power Marketer – A company that buys and sells electric energy.
  • Power Pool of Alberta – Responsible for the operation of the whole sale electricity market between 1998 and 2002.
  • Power Purchase Agreement – A contract between a seller, who generates electricity, and a buyer, who is looking to purchase electricity. Such a contract defines all the commercial terms for the sale of electricity between both parties – for example, it will define when the project will begin operations, the schedule for electricity delivery and payment terms.
  • Premium Price – Refers to the price paid to an operating reserve provider that gives the AESO the capability of calling on reserve if necessary.
  • Price Cap – The max price that electricity energy or related services can be placed at. This is set by a government or regulatory agency.
  • Price-quantity Pairs – Consists of a quantity of megawatts and the available dollar price of megawatts in reference to price-sensitive bid block information.

Q

  • Qualifying Facility – A small power production facility or co-generation facility that meets criteria established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission pursuant to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act such as certain ownership, operating and efficiency criteria.
  • Quantity Wires Charge – A charge or a free for the moving of electricity over a transmission or distribution system that is based off the quantity of electricity transmitted.

R

  • Rate of Last Resort (ROLR) – The ROLR is the name update to the previous Regulated Rate Option (RRO.) It is the default regulated energy option in Alberta set every two years.
  • Receipt Point – The specified point in a service agreement in which gas is delivered to the pipeline by or for the account of a shipper.
  • Recycled Water – Water that has been used in energy activities that is reused by operators for the same purpose.
  • Regulated Default Supply – Is equivalent to regulated rate option, which describes a rate offered by a distribution facility owner for customers who have not selected a competitive retailer.
  • Reliability – In terms of an electricity system, refers to the relative performance of any part of said electricity system. Some ways that reliability can be measured include frequency, duration or magnitude of adverse effects on electricity supply.
  • Renewable Natural Gas – Decay of organic matter in landfills, farms or similar locations produces carbon-neutral methane.
  • Reserve Margin – Also known as reserve capacity. Refers to amount of available capacity over and above the capacity needed to meet peak demand.
  • Resistance – A characteristic of a substance in which electrical current flow is blocked.
  • Retailers Adjustment to Market – Occur when a retailer has been over or under charged in a particular zone.
  • Retailer Energy Grand Total (MWH) – Refers to the total of line loss, UFE and consumption for the retailer in MWh for the power pool.
  • Retail Energy Market – The final sale of electricity or gas to an end-use consumer.
  • Revoke De-Energize Request (RDR) – A cancellation of a previous de-energize request.
  • Rural Electrification Associations (REAs) – Utilities in rural areas that own and operate electric distribution systems to benefit their own members.

S

  • Secondary Energy Use – The use of energy (excluding energy use for the generation of electricity) by final consumers for residential, agricultural, commercial, industrial and transportation purposes.
  • Self-Generation – Customers generating electricity for their own use.
  • Semiconductor – A material that has an electricity conducting capacity between that of a conductor and an insulator.
  • Service Charge – The current balance of fees that are payable to a service provider.
  • Service Territories – The geographical areas within a province that are served by a regulated electricity provider.
  • Settlement ID – A 4-digit number that represents each load settlement agent that operates within Alberta. See the bottom of this glossary section for a list of settlement IDs. All IDs begin with a ‘1’.
  • Settlement Interval – The time increment in which distinct load estimates are calculated by load settlement systems.
  • Settlement System – A computer system alongside associated operations using to determine load responsibility at each unit of the settlement interval.
  • Settlement Timing – The frequency in which load settlement is calculated and reported to the Pool and to retailers.
  • Settlement Type – The time interval where distinct load estimates are calculated via load settlement systems and load amounts are settled through the Pool. Examples include initial daily settlement, initial monthly settlement, reconciliation settlement and final settlement.
  • Short Term Trade – Electricity trading involving only surplus electricity from existing generation and transmission facilities.
  • Simple-cycle – Refers to when a gas turbine is the primary mover within a plant.
  • Single-circuit – One circuit is carried on a set of poles or lattice towers within a transmission line.
  • Socket Parity – Occurs when alternative energy sources such as solar are able to generate electricity at costs less than or equal to the costs of purchase power from the grid.
  • Solar Cell – A device that can convert light into electricity via the photovoltaic effect.
  • Solar Energy – Refers to light and heat energy coming from the Sun’s radiation.
  • Solar Power – Electricity that is produced via the conversion of solar radiation into electricity or into thermal energy which produces steam that drives a turbine.
  • Solar Thermal  – The collection of solar energy by a system for the use of heating water or providing space heating – such energy is not converted into electricity.
  • Spot Market – Commodities are bought and sold for immediate transfer in the real time market.
  • Spot Trading Charge – A fee charged by the AESO per megawatt hour for all electricity that is traded in the power pool.
  • Substation/Switching Station – A facility where there is equipment to tie together two or more electric circuits via switches or circuit breakers.
  • Supply Cost – An estimated cost at which a unit of energy can be produced over a project’s economic life.
  • Surge – A sudden increase in electrical current or voltage.
  • System Marginal Price – The pricing in which supply, and demand meet in the Albertan power pool.
Settlement IDLoad Settlement Agent
1040FORTIS
1050Lethbridge
1070Red Deer
1080Ponoka
1090Fort MacLeod
1010ATCO
1020ENMAX
1030EPCOR
1060Crowsnest Pass
1100Cardston

T

  • Tidal Power – A subsect of ocean energy – refers to harnessing power from tides and waves for the generation of electricity.
  • Total Energy (KWH) – The sum of usage, line loss and UFE.
  • Total Gross Energy – The sum of usage, line loss and UFE, spot reading and retailer fee charges.
  • Total Usage Cost – The sum of consumption cost and delivery cost.
  • Transformer – An electrical device that changes the voltage of alternating current.
  • Transmission Losses – Energy lost via the process of transmitting electricity.
  • Turbine – A machine that converts kinetic energy in fluid into mechanical energy that turns a rotor that will consequently generate electricity.

U

  • Unaccounted For Energy (UFE) – The difference between the sum of allocated hourly loads at customer meters and the total load of a distribution system.
  • Unbundled – Separate pricing and provision of electricity service that is independent of equipment cost or charge.
  • Unconventional Natural Gas – Natural gas that can be produced at commercial rates only after extensive use and processing via technology.
  • Usage – The amount of energy consumed.
  • Usage Cost – The cost of energy that has been consumed at the hourly power pool price.
  • Utility (Electric) – Any generating unit, transmission facility or electric distribution system that is used for the public or for members of rural electrification associations.
  • Utility (Gas) – Any gas pipeline, transmission or distribution system providing supply to any member of the public.
  • Utilities Consumer Advocate – Utilities Consumer Advocate. An organization representing the interests of consumers in regards to electricity and natural gas through providing information and energy-related services to Albertans.

V

  • Vertically Integrated – A company that owns generation, transmission, distribution, and retail operations.
  • Virtual Metering Point – A point of measurement where active energy is considered to have transferred through a point that is derived from one or several metering points.
  • Volt – A unit of electrical potential or electromotive force. Volts are the standard units for measuring the force of electricity.
  • Voltage – The difference in electrical potential between two points of an electric circuit.
  • Voltage Reduction – An intentional reduction of system voltage by 3 percent or greater.
  • Voltage Stability – Operations that are within acceptable voltage ranges.
  • Voltage Violation – Measured or calculated conditions where voltage (at a point on the transmission system) is not within acceptable limits.

W

  • Waste Heat – Energy that is lost during the operation of electrical equipment or machinery.
  • Watt – A unit of power that is equivalent to one joule of energy per second.
  • Watt-hour – A unit of measurement equivalent to one watt of power supplied to or taken from an electric circuit consistently for an hour.
  • Wholesale Market – Where electricity is bought and sold in Alberta. The wholesale market is also known as the power pool.
  • Wind Energy – The kinetic energy in wind that can be converted to mechanical energy to drive pumps, mills, and electric power generators for the production of electricity.
  • Wind Turbine – A device that produces electricity from wind energy.

Z

  • Zero-Emissions Vehicle – Vehicles with the potential to produce no tailpipe emissions. Examples include battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
  • Zone ID – A 4-digit number representing each settlement zone operating within Alberta. You can find a table of all zone IDs at the bottom of this section.
Zone IDSettlement Zone
0001-0500ATCO
2501-2600Cardston
2101-2200Crowsnest Pass
0501-1000Enmax
1001-1500Epcor
2401-2500Fort Maclead
1501-2000Fortis
2001-2100Lethbridge
2301-2400Ponoka
2201-2300Red Deer