Energy Terms Glossary

Electricity Energy Glossary

Administration Fee (Fixed) - This fee covers the costs related to billing you for the electricity and providing customer service.

Cost of Electricity - This charge covers the cost of electricity that you used during the billing period.

Distribution Charge (Fixed/Variable) - This charge recovers the cost of the lower voltage lines that carry electricity from the transformers to your meter. All operating costs and revenue for ATCO Electric are recovered through the delivery charges.

Energy Used (kWh) - The energy used represents the kilowatt hours of electricity you consumed in the billing period. This can be either an actual or an estimate.

From and To Reads - The "From" and "To" reads are your last actual meter readings. The difference between the "To" and "From" meter readings will provide you the usage for that period.

Local Access Fee (LAF) - The LAF is a surcharge levied by your municipality to your distributor. It is not approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission. You may contact your distributor to find out how the specific LAF levy charged by your municipality is determined.

Meter Number - This is the number attached to the meter installed on your premise. This number is unique to each meter assigned.

Rate Rider - This item reflects temporary changes to your bill approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission. It may be a credit or a debit.

Transmission Charge - This charge recovers the costs of owning and operating the high voltage lines that carry electricity to the substation transformers.

Natural Gas Energy Glossary

Administration Fee (Fixed) - This fee covers the costs related to billing you for Natural Gas and providing customer service.

Carbon Levy - The Carbon Levy was an initiative as part of the Government of Alberta's 2017 Climate Leadership Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the initiative, the Alberta government introduced a levy on the price of all fuels that emit greenhouse gases when combusted, including natural gas. The provincial carbon levy was effective from January 1, 2017 to May 30, 2019.

Conversion Factor - The volume used between meter readings is measured in units of thousands of cubic feet (MCF). This volume is then multiplied by a conversion factor that takes into account the energy content, the pressure at which the gas is delivered, and the conversion from imperial units to metric. The result is the energy consumption that appears on your bill.

Cost of Gas - This is what Direct Energy Regulated Services charges for buying the natural gas that is supplied to you during the billing period.

Delivery Charge (Fixed/Variable) - All operating costs and revenue for ATCO Gas are recovered through the delivery charges. The fixed charge is a flat daily charge to recover a portion of the total delivery charges. The variable charge covers the remainder of the total delivery charges. The variable charge is based on natural gas consumption for the billing period.

Energy Used (GJ) - The energy used represents the gigajoules you consumed in the billing period. This can either be an actual or an estimate.

Federal Carbon Tax - The Government of Canada introduced the federal price on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions beginning in January 2019 to provinces or territories that have not implemented a carbon pricing regime. Alberta will have to adhere to the federal regulation effective January 1, 2020.

From and To Reads - The "From" and "To" reads are your last actual meter readings. The difference between the "To" and "From" meter readings will provide you the usage for that period.

Meter Number - This is the number attached to the meter installed on your premise. This number is unique to each meter assigned.

Municipal Franchise Fee - This fee is set by your municipality as a charge for natural gas facilities on municipal property. ATCO Gas remits this amount to your local municipality.

Rate Rider(s) - This item reflects temporary changes to your bill reviewed by the Alberta Utilities Commission. It may be a credit or a debit.