Prince Albert Electricity Retailers and Natural Gas Providers
Homes and businesses in Prince Albert obtain electricity solely through SaskPower, Saskatchewan’s provincial electric utility. SaskEnergy is the city’s regulated provider of natural gas services. However, consumers in Prince Albert who use less than 660,000 cubic meters of natural gas per year have the option of purchasing natural gas from an independent retailer, rather than SaskEnergy. The authorized gas retailers serving Prince Albert include:
Homeowners and business owners in Prince Albert are encouraged to consider retail alternatives to SaskEnergy, as retailers often offer rates lower than the provincial regulated rate. Visit the links above to learn more about the retail natural gas providers serving Prince Albert, and the plans they offer, which often include fixed rate, variable rate, and fixed monthly plans. To compare the natural gas rates currently available, fill out the energy rate comparison form above.
Prince Albert Electricity and Natural Gas History
What is now Prince Albert was first settled by farmers in the 1860s, who dubbed the region Isbister’s Settlement, after the first settler, James Isbister. In 1866, a Presbyterian minister founded a mission named after the husband of Queen Victory, Prince Albert, from which the city ultimately derived its name. The town of Prince Albert was officially founded in 1885, and was incorporated as a city in 1904.
While eventually dwarfed in size by Saskatoon and Regina, Prince Albert was actually the first community in Saskatchewan to have electricity, thanks to the construction of a power plant in 1890.
As the city rapidly grew, driven by a financial boom, in 1909 city leaders commissioned the construction of the La Colle Falls Hydroelectric Dam. The dam was intended to span the North Saskatchewan River and serve as the city’s sole source of electric power. However, construction was hindered by engineering problems and poor-quality construction, the project was abandoned in 1914. But the five-year effort generated a debt of $3 million, nearly bankrupting the city. The debt was not paid off until 1965.
In 2012, an experimental wood waste-burning power plant in Prince Albert went online, generating electricity for the city’s power grid, but was shuttered in 2014 due to an inability to operate profitably.
The entirety of Prince Albert’s electricity is now supplied by SaskPower, and SaskEnergy is the city’s regulated provider of natural gas.
