ENMAX Corporation supports the provision of affordable and reliable electricity for Albertans and that’s why we feel an obligation to inform you about some important issues that could significantly impact your home or business electricity bill. You may have heard of these issues in the news, and we want you to know how you can speak out against them if you feel the same way we do.

Questions & Answers

What is Bill 50?
Bill 50¹ is proposed new legislation that would fast track a multi-billion dollar transmission system upgrade for which Albertans will bear the cost.

If the Bill is passed, it will alter the existing approval process to make this upgrade happen.

Albertans have the right to have a say in this process.

¹Bill 50, the Electric Statutes Amendment Act, 2009, was given first reading in  the Legislature on June 1, 2009. It passed its second reading on June 2 and is scheduled to be brought forward for its third reading and for Royal Assent in the fall session of Legislature.

How will Bill 50 affect my electricity bill?
Albertans could see transmission charges on their electricity bills dramatically increase due to a proposed $14 billion dollar provincial transmission system project. Based on publicly available data, ENMAX anticipates the cost could soar beyond $20 billion upon completion.

We estimate transmission charges on electricity bills could triple* over the next 10 years:

• An additional $300 a year for a typical 2,000 square foot, single-family home 
• An additional $400 a year for the average small business customer consuming 1,610 kilowatt hours a month

The cost to Albertans could soar even higher, as businesses, institutions, and municipalities pass their increased costs on to you.  

If Bill 50 is passed through the provincial Legislature this October, Albertans will no longer have a say in the need for these costly projects.

*This estimate does not include the effects of inflation.

Will the lights go out in Alberta if Bill 50 is not approved?
No. There is still time to thoroughly examine the options to ensure electricity is available to Albertans when they need it and for an affordable price.   

In some instances building transmission lines makes sense. However, we believe that in many circumstances there are more efficient and less costly solutions, such as building generating plants close to the areas where they are most needed.

We believe Albertans need to ask that other options be explored, but Bill 50 will prevent you from asking.

What does ENMAX propose as an alternative to Bill 50?
Bill 50 alters the existing approval process and allows decisions on the need for transmission projects to be made without public input.

We believe the current process of approving proposed transmission lines through the provincial regulator, the Alberta Utilities Commission, is necessary to hear the concerns of consumers, energy industry professionals, and other interested stakeholders. The existing needs identification and approval process is also an important forum for considering other, possibly less expensive, options to ensure electricity reliability.

If Bill 50 is passed, the need for new transmission facilities worth billions of dollars can be approved with no public input.
 
Why is ENMAX opposed to Bill 50?
ENMAX feels an obligation to speak out on behalf of electricity customers in Alberta. We believe Albertans should have a say in decisions that will have a major impact on their monthly electricity bills.

ENMAX is opposed to Bill 50 because it will move decisions about major transmission upgrades in the province behind closed doors.

We want to make sure our customers are aware of this issue and we want to give them information about how they can take action and speak out against Bill 50.

What can I do if I am opposed to Bill 50?
Bill 50 is up for final review at the end of October when the Alberta Legislature reconvenes. There is still time! If you’re concerned about Bill 50, we urge you to:

• Write a letter or send an email to your MLA
• Tell a friend about the consequences of Bill 50
• Join the Facebook and Twitter groups to keep up on what’s going on
• Sign or a start a petition in your community
• Text "Be Heard" to 74747 from your cell phone *standard text message rates will apply
• Sign-up to recieve email updates on transmission issues by sending a message to bill50@enmax.com, subject line "update me"