What Natural Gas Restructuring means for your Business

Energy restructuring has opened up the marketplace for Alberta businesses to choose the company that provides natural gas services. This choice has lead to more competitive pricing, industry innovations and improved customer service.

Some Important Dates Leading to Today's Open Marketplace:

Since October 1985, a competitive wholesale market for natural gas has developed, with prices determined in the marketplace by negotiation between hundreds of buyers and sellers. By 1988, small industrial consumers were provided with customer choice, which allowed them to purchase gas from alternate suppliers, if they wished.

New regulations were enacted in 1995. These regulations put rules in place regarding consumer gas supply choice for residential and commercial consumers in Alberta. In 1996, the major investor-owned utilities subsequently filed and gained approval of new rates from the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board that enabled consumers to choose an alternate gas supplier.

In 2003, the Alberta Legislature introduced further amendments to the Gas Utilities Act intended to foster customer choice. These amendments resulted in separation of the distribution and retail commodity supply functions, and introduced among other things, rules to encourage fair competition. As a result of this restructuring, Alberta customers may elect to receive gas services from their choice of suppliers in the marketplace. Retail affiliates of distribution companies, as well as independent retailers such as Direct Energy Business may offer competitive gas services to customers in the province.