How Much Does Electricity Cost in Calgary With ENMAX?
How much are you paying your electricity if you live in Calgary? How does it compare with the rest of Alberta? Here we break down the different components of a kilowatt-hour in Calgary so that you can decide whether you're getting a good deal for your money
Breakdown of Costs for a Typical Calgary ENMAX RRO Bill
The Average Cost of Electricity for a Typical Calgary ENMAX RRO Residential Customer
Comparison of Annual Electricity Costs for a Typical RRO Residential Consumer, 2013
Source: Alberta Market Surveillance Administrator
In 2013, the total annual cost of electricity for a typical ENMAX RRO residential customer in Calgary was about $1275. Divided by the average annual consumption for the typical Albertan residential consumer (7200 kWh per year), we can estimate that electricity in Calgary cost roughly 17.7 ยข per kWh.
Breakdown of the Cost of a Kilowatt-Hour in Calgary
Source: Alberta Market Surveillance Administrator
Energy supply costs make up roughly about half of the total cost of a kWh for a typical residential RRO consumer in Calgary. Other charges include the administration fees charged by your electricity retailer, the transmission and distribution fees charged by your wires services provider (in this case, ENMAX), the local access fees charged by the City of Calgary, rate riders, and GST.
How Do I Start My Utility Service in Calgary?
If you are moving to Calgary and want more information about setting up your electricity and gas service, check out our dedicated page to electric and gas utilities in Calgary.
How Can I Save on My Electricity Bill in Calgary?
As the graph above illustrates, your the components of your electricity bill can be split into two main categories: the cost of your electricity and the cost of delivering it. In general, the charges related to electricity delivery cannot be altered, and will remain the same regardless of whether you change suppliers.
Should I Switch Suppliers?
Since 2001, Albertans have been able to choose their electricity retailer. Choosing your electricity retailer will change the electricity supply and administration components of your electricity bill. Competitive energy retailers offer both fixed and variable rates for electricity, which may work out to being cheaper than paying the default regulated rate for electricity. Competitive energy retailers also charge different administration fees, which depending on the company may be cheaper than those charged by ENMAX.
Saving Electricity to Save Money
Another highly-effective way of reducing your electricity bill is to cut down on how much electricity you use altogether. As some (though not all) distribution and transmission charges are variable, reducing your overall electricity consumption will also allow you to trim down some of the "fixed" portion of your electricity bill.
Check out some of our tips for saving money on your electricity bills