Get off the regulated rollercoaster with the Home/Small Business Energy Program

Fixed Rate plans with various term lengths (term lengths will vary from time to time) and a Variable Rate Plan that floats with market rates. The best plan for you will be determined by your appetite for price fluctuations vs a desire for cost certainty through a fixed rate price.

A small business energy account pertains to any kind of business that requires electricity or natural gas. In order to qualify as a small business account your electricity consumption volumes must be less than 250,000 kWh per year and/or your natural gas consumption must be less than 2,500 GJs (gigajoules) per year. There are different regulatory requirements that need to be adhered to for accounts that qualify as small business.

The product you select will be based on your needs and risk tolerance. The Fixed Rate Plans are perfect for customers who want cost certainty when it comes to the unit price of their electricity or natural gas as the commodity price remains fixed throughout the term length you select. The Variable Rate Plan is for customers who are willing to ride out the highs and lows of the changing market prices in an attempt to secure the greatest savings over the long term.

There are provisions for canceling your contract and the details are outlined in the terms and conditions which are available on the signup site.

If you are moving, you must notify us at least ten (10) days prior to the date you are moving requesting that your contract be transferred to the new location. The terms of the contract will continue so long as you are moving to an area that can be serviced by Sponsor Energy.

If your new location is not eligible for service by Sponsor Energy, your contract as it applies to the portion of your Energy Plan that cannot be supplied, will be cancelled and the affected Site(s) de-enrolled with the Distribution Company. In that case, you remain responsible for any amounts owing under your contract including Energy supplied until de-enrolment of the affected Site(s) plus the cancellation fee associated with your plan.

If you are using a Variable Rate Plan, you can switch to a Fixed Rate Plan at any time without penalty.

The regulated electricity/natural gas rate from Alberta utility providers is known as the regulated service option. This rate is determined by an independent organization, the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC), which functions independently from the government. The AUC’s mandate is to act impartially, treating both electricity suppliers and their customers fairly. The RRO price set by the AUC is meant to fairly compensate energy providers, while also ensuring that customers pay a fair and reasonable price.

The regulated rate is entirely based upon price projections for the month ahead. Although the regulated rate remains steady for any given month, the consequence of recalculating the rate on a month-to-month basis is that the price of electricity or natural gas changes often, and sometimes by a great deal. Market volatility can make it very difficult to plan out a budget. In addition, you cannot be declined for service under the regulated option for things such as poor credit. This means that the potential for losses due to non-payment of accounts is much higher resulting in a higher price that needs to be charged to all customers to account for these losses. The end result is that the regulated rate is not the cheapest option in the market place and the rollercoaster continues.

Competitive energy retailers are licensed by Services Alberta under the Fair Trading Act. They, like regulated rate providers, are responsible for purchasing energy supply on their customers’ behalf, billing, keeping records, and managing customer accounts, and for providing customer service. Unlike regulated rate providers, they are able to sell energy contracts at different prices and lengths to consumers, and provide more options to customers. Competitive energy retailers may sell electricity, natural gas, or both. Some competitive retailers offer special rates for different types of consumers (e.g. for seniors, or non-profits), and others offer green energy.

The main advantage of considering a competitive energy retailer for your electricity or gas supply is for the opportunity to find an energy option that is best suited to you. Just because your local regulated rate provider exists as the “default option” does not mean that it is necessarily your “best” choice. Competitive energy retailers offer you a wider range of options for your energy, allowing you to choose a contract that reflects your preferences. Maybe you are interested in finding the cheapest electricity or natural gas rate out there, or that you want to support local Alberta businesses, or want to lock in a fixed rate for your electricity or your natural gas. A competitive contract can provide these options.

If you have never chosen a retailer before then you are likely on a regulated rate and you just need to visit our signup page, select the product and term that work best for you and we will take it from there. If you are approved for service, we will advise your current provider of the change. There is nothing you need to do other than complete the signup process. If you are currently on a competitive contract, you will need to check the terms and conditions to determine your exit clause and your ability to switch.

There is a 10 day cooling off period that is required under the Fair Trading Act that allows customers to cancel their application without penalty. After that period has passed, we will provide the proper notifications for getting your service switched to our program. You will receive your new bill from us and you may receive a final bill with final billing charges from your current provider. Normally, the entire activation process should take no longer than 15 business days.

We have partnered with Sponsor Energy, a longtime player among energy providers in Alberta to provide electricity and/or natural gas service to our customers. The physical delivery of your services will still be provided by the same service/distribution companies that provide that service today. As such, the delivery charges on your bill will remain the same as these are regulated charges that apply regardless of the competitive retailer that is supplying the energy.

The cost for the provision of energy to your residential or small business site will be based on the energy plan that you have selected. In addition to the energy charge as determined by your home/business energy plan, various administrative fees, site fees and third-party fees may apply. Please see the full terms and conditions to understand all applicable fees that may be levied.

After you sign up online, you will receive an email confirmation welcoming you to the energy program along with confirmation of the activation of your online account. You will also receive confirmation of the product and term selected and the governing terms and conditions related to that product selection.

You will receive an email notification each month indicating that your energy statement is ready for viewing. This invoice/statement can be retrieved from the online portal using your account login.

Customers must choose between an automatic debit from your bank account or an automatic charge to a valid credit card. This information is required as part of the signup process. There will be a small convenience charge to offset costs associated with processing a valid credit card transaction. There is no fee charged by Sponsor Energy for an automatic debit from your bank account.