What You Pay for Electricity in Alberta by Default (and What You Could Pay Instead)

The Alberta energy market is the least regulated in Canada. This means consumers have more options and don’t have to stay with the default electricity or natural gas provider. You can choose energy providers similarly to how you choose phone or internet plans. But this also means it can be confusing for people, especially newcomers from other countries or Canadians coming from other provinces.

In the guide below, we will help you understand some of the key things about Alberta energy bills, the default rate, average costs and consumption, and what you can do about your options.

Annual regulated electricity bill costs in Alberta

In Alberta, if you don’t sign up with a competitive electricity retailer, you will be enrolled under the Rate of Last Resort, which is a regulated energy plan.

The table below demonstrates the annual electricity bill for the average regulated apartment and non-apartment residential customers by service area (2020 to 2025) in the Calgary and Edmonton areas. The data was retrieved from a report by the Market Surveillance Administrator (MSA), called “Rate of Last Resort Report: 2025”.

Taking the year 2025 in Calgary as an example, that would be roughly $153 in electricity bills per month. This is obviously a flat monthly cost estimate; energy bills may vary depending on the season, as consumption is higher during the summer and winter months in Alberta.

Further down in this article, we’ve gone through the average energy consumption in Alberta for residential customers, so you can see how seasonality plays a role in Alberta energy bills.

How regulated electricity bills compare to competitive retailer bills

If you’re new to the Alberta energy market, it’s important to know that as of 2026, 8 in 10 Albertans are on a competitive plan, with only 20% of consumers under the Rate of Last Resort.

This is no surprise when you look at the numbers. Oftentimes, in the 2025-2026 range, the RoLR was 50% or even 70% higher than the then-available fixed- and floating-rate plans.

When you compare energy bills, though, the difference looks even bigger. According to the same report by the MSA, a non-apartment consumer under the RoLR in March 2026 could save from $25 to $36 per month if they were to switch to a fixed-rate plan. This means up to $432 in savings in a year, and potentially more than $1,000 in savings for a longer-term plan, such as a 3- or 5-year term.

Taking the Calgary example from 2025, we’ve created a table below demonstrating how much consumers could have saved by switching off the RoLR, based on the savings estimates mentioned above.

Moving to Alberta: How newcomers can choose the best energy plan

Although there are about 2 in 10 Albertans with the RoLR only, data from the MSA shows that customer moves were the main source of new RoLR enrolments in 2025 (85k out of the 161k total.) This means many newcomers may not be aware of their options, and how much less they could be paying on energy bills.

This is expected, as the regulated rate may sound like a government-controlled rate or a safety net. That’s why the province announced a name change from Regulated Rate Option (RRO) to Rate of Last Resort (RoLR), as a way of incentivizing consumers to review their options and compare energy prices.

Data also tells us that new Albertans learn about these savings opportunities quite quickly. According to the MSA, people who enroll in the RoLR after a move tend to leave the fastest, roughly 75% within 150 days.

Your energy choices in Alberta can play a significant role in your cost of living, as shown above. Luckily, finding a new energy supplier doesn’t need to be hard.

With energy rate comparison tools like EnergyRates.ca or UCA Helps, you can see all major options in your area to compare energy providers, plan types, and select the best option for you.

The most common competitive plan types in Alberta are fixed and floating plans. The first is ideal for those who prefer budget certainty and protection from price spikes, whereas the latter may be advantageous for those with higher risk tolerance and are willing to get the most out of low rates when the market is calm. If you would like to learn more about the difference between fixed and floating energy rates, check out our full guide here.

Regardless of the type of plan you choose, the vast majority of Alberta energy retailers don’t charge cancellation fees as long as you provide 10, 15, or 30 days’ notice. This means you can switch energy retailers whenever you find a better offer. The new provider will take care of transitioning your energy services without interruptions, whether from the RoLR or from another competitive retailer.

Average regulated residential consumption in Alberta: Summer vs winter

Summers and winters are when Albertans use the most energy, especially if there are heatwaves or deep freezes.

Albertans use considerably more electricity over the summer. One of the reasons why is heavier cooling system use, such as ACs, on hot days. In winter, the main source of heating in the province is natural gas. Consumers usually see higher natural gas bills during colder seasons. Still, electricity consumption goes up in winter too, as people spend more time indoors, and natural gas-based heating systems still require some level of electricity to run part of their gears.

In the table below, we’ve listed how the average regulated residential customer in southern Alberta consumes electricity in the two seasons. The data was retrieved from the MSA report.

Important takeaways

• Since its launch, the RoLR has been consistently higher than fixed- and floating-rate plans in Alberta.
• Consumers who switch off the RoLR could save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on energy bills.
• Alberta’s residential electricity consumption goes up in the summer and winter months.