Delivery charges pay your wires company to bring power to your home. They are AUC approved, the same with every retailer, and on a 600 kWh month in 2026 they run from about $55.77 in Calgary to about $133.39 in ATCO Electric areas before riders.
None of these depend on your retailer. Your address decides your wires company, and the Alberta Utilities Commission approves its rates.
| Area | Daily charge | Distribution per kWh | Transmission per kWh | 600 kWh, 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FortisAlberta areas (most towns and rural southern and central Alberta) | $1.03/day | 3.348¢/kWh | 4.256¢/kWh | $76.66 |
| ATCO Electric areas (northern and eastern Alberta) | $1.68/day | 9.030¢/kWh | 4.790¢/kWh | $133.39 |
| City of Edmonton | $0.73/day | 1.783¢/kWh | 4.050¢/kWh | $56.85 |
| City of Calgary | $0.77/day | 1.548¢/kWh | 3.900¢/kWh | $55.77 |
Daily charge = distribution daily charges (FortisAlberta facilities and service charge; ATCO Electric distribution plus service charge). Sources: AUC approved 2026 residential tariffs, effective January 1, 2026: Decision 30274-D01-2025 (FortisAlberta Rate 11), Decision 30300-D01-2025 (ATCO Electric D11), Decision 30298-D01-2025 (City of Edmonton wires, interim) and Decision 30299-D01-2025 (City of Calgary wires, interim). Interim rates can be trued up later by rider. Some cities, such as Red Deer, run their own wires utility with its own rates. Read 2026-10-29. Data: data.json.
Base delivery at three usage levels, next to the energy charge at the Rate of Last Resort for 600 kWh. Delivery has a fixed part, so it does not shrink in step with usage.
| Area | 400 kWh | 600 kWh | 900 kWh | Energy charge, 600 kWh at the Rate of Last Resort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FortisAlberta areas | $61.45 | $76.66 | $99.47 | $72.06 |
| ATCO Electric areas | $105.75 | $133.39 | $174.85 | $72.12 |
| Edmonton | $45.19 | $56.85 | $74.35 | $72.06 |
| Calgary | $44.87 | $55.77 | $72.11 | $72.36 |
Rate of Last Resort: 12.01¢/kWh in Edmonton and FortisAlberta areas, 12.02¢/kWh in ATCO Electric areas, 12.06¢/kWh in Calgary, through December 31, 2026. Admin fees, riders, municipal fees and GST are not included. Not a guarantee of any bill amount.
Natural gas works the same way: ATCO Gas or Apex Utilities delivers it for a daily charge plus a charge per GJ. See why gas bills rise in winter.
Delivery charges pay your local wires company to carry electricity to your home. They have two parts: distribution (the local poles, lines and meters) and transmission (the high-voltage lines across the province). Each part can include a fixed daily charge and a charge per kWh. The Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) approves them.
No. Your wires company and its delivery charges are set by where you live, and they are the same whichever retailer you choose, including the default provider. A retailer sets the energy rate, its admin fee and the plan terms.
Before riders, on a 600 kWh, 30 day month, 2026 base delivery charges are about $55.77 in Calgary, $56.85 in Edmonton, $76.66 in FortisAlberta areas and $133.39 in ATCO Electric areas (AUC approved 2026 tariffs). Riders and municipal fees then move the total up or down.
Rural wires companies serve fewer homes per kilometre of line, so the cost of building and maintaining the system is spread over fewer customers. That shows up as a higher daily charge and a higher per kWh charge.
A temporary charge or credit the AUC approves so a wires company can collect or refund costs that were not in its base rates, such as a true-up from an earlier year. Riders can change during the year, so the delivery line on your bill can differ from the base rates on this page.
A fee your municipality charges for the wires company's use of its land, usually a percentage of delivery charges. It is set by the municipality, shows on your bill and is the same with every retailer. Edmonton calls it the local access fee.
Only by using less. The per kWh part of delivery falls when you use fewer kWh; the daily charge stays. The energy rate is the part a retailer plan changes.
See fixed and variable plans on the rate card, or run the free Bill Check on your own usage.
Ready now? Sign up in as little as 4 minutes; the switch itself can take up to 10 to 30 days. Already with us for electricity? Add natural gas on the same sign-up. Questions? Call (780) 779-7188.
No cancellation fees on residential electricity