- When it comes to your energy plan in Alberta,
you have choices, but how do you know
what really works for you?
Vicki and Gary chose a plan with ATCOenergy,
an electricity and natural gas retailer.
They're free to switch or change their plans any time.
Vicki went with a Variable Rate that follows market prices,
which can be influenced by things like the weather,
or spikes in demand.
Gary wanted something to make budgeting easier
and chose a Guaranteed Rate that stays the same every month.
Oliver is on what's called the RRO,
the Regulated Rate Option.
That's the default for anyone who doesn't choose a retailer.
For a few years, stable energy prices in Alberta
made for smooth sailing.
Then, in early 2018,
electricity rates started to rise and fall, spike and dip.
Gary's Guaranteed Rate
meant he could just kick back and relax.
Even though he might use more energy
depending on the season. The rate he pays
for every gigajoule or kilowatt hour will stay the same.
But Vicki and Oliver were in for a bumpy ride.
Vicki's a risk-taker, and she's comfortable
with the ups and downs.
Plus, she knows she can switch her ATCOenergy plan
to a Guaranteed Rate any time, if she starts feeling queasy.
And for a while, Oliver was protected
by a provincial rate cap.
No matter what market prices were,
he'd never pay more than 6.8 cents per kilowatt hour.
But with the rate cap gone,
Oliver's exposed to all the ups and downs
and ups of market prices.
Maybe it's time for Oliver to call ATCOenergy
and switch to a plan that gives him more control.