Rural Albertans say they’re being penalized by high utility fees and some municipalities are asking the government to step in and equalize costs throughout the province.
Transmission and delivery charges are a significant portion of any energy bill, but because of the low population density and long distance between customers, people in ATCO service areas in rural Alberta pay two to three times more than the rest of the province.
A report commissioned by the City of Grande Prairie earlier this year found that in 2023, residents in ATCO service areas paid about $1,100 per household in delivery charges, compared to an average of $350 in urban centres.
ATCO’s service area includes the majority of northern Alberta and parts of central Alberta.
Dylan Bressey, board member of Alberta Municipalities and Grande Prairie councillor, said this …