Opening, Moving, or Closing an AltaGas Account: Information About Your Service
Whether you are opening, moving, or closing your account, here is the information you need to know about your service with AltaGas
Opening Your Account and Activating Service
You should contact AltaGas at least three to five working days before your desired start date. You will have to pay a $36.17 activation fee (+ GST). To activate your account, you will need to provide basic contact information, including:
- Service address
- Your name and basic contact information (telephone number, email address)
- Move-in date
- Whether you rent or own the property
Security deposit
AltaGas may ask you for a security deposit if you are a new customer. The amount will be based on the previous consumption history for the site if you are new to the area. The amount will be no greater than the estimate of the total of your (or your site's) three highest consecutive monthly bills in any 12-month billing period. You may have your security deposit reduced if you can demonstrate good payment history (your account has not been in 60-days debt more than once, or 30-days debt more than twice, in the previous year), and it will be returned with interest after one year of good payment. Your reimbursement will appear as a credit on your monthly bill, unless you have decided to close your account (in which case you will be refunded).
What if gas service was disconnected?
If you are moving to a new property where service was temporarily disconnected, you will not have to pay a reconnection fee (as long as you were not the one who caused the temporary disconnection, you are not responsible for paying the reconnection fee). You will, however, have to pay the account activation fee.
Your Service with AltaGas
Meter Reading
AltaGas will read meters as often as they deem necessary, and will estimate consumption in between meter readings. Alberta Utilities regulations require that natural gas distributors perform meter readings at least once a year but you can submit readings to AltaGas during the periods when they plan to estimate your consumption. Call Customer Service at 1-866-222-2067 to find out your reading period (how to read your natural gas meter). You can also pay $36.50 to have AltaGas perform a special meter reading.
Late payment
AltaGas will charge 1.5% compounded monthly on any unpaid balance from previous bills (18% per year) on payments made after the late payment date.
Budget payment plan
AltaGas offers the option of a budget payment plan, which allows you to pay a flat monthly price for your natural gas. The budget payment plan is based on a year's worth of estimated consumption from July to June. Adjustments between your estimated and actual consumption are made in June, though you may sign up for the budget plan at any point throughout the year. AltaGas bases your annual consumption estimate on historic weather information, historic natural gas consumption for your site (or a similar service site if it is new), current and forecast natural gas prices, and their Commission-approved gas distribution service rates. Adjustments may be made throughout the year if your actual consumption is considerably different from the estimate.
Find out more about how to pay your AltaGas bill
What happens if you don't pay your bill?
You should contact AltaGas Credit Enquiries at 1-866-222-2069 if you think that you will be unable to pay your monthly bill. As previously mentioned, AltaGas charges 1.5% interest (compounded monthly). AltaGas reserves the right to disconnect you for non-payment of your charges for gas supply, as well as at the request of your gas retailer. You will receive a 48h minimum warning of impending disconnection for non-payment. You will have to pay a fee of $50.85 for service reconnection. However, AltaGas will not make service disconnections during winter months (between November 1 and April 14), and may reschedule disconnections outside of this period when overnight temperatures are forecasted below 0°Celsius to residential or commercial properties.
AltaGas will charge $25.43 for any dishonoured payment (insufficient funds, bounced cheque).
Find out more about what happens when you cannot pay your gas bill
Temporarily Disconnecting Your Service
AltaGas will temporarily disconnect your service if you request it. You must provide advanced notice for disconnection, and AltaGas will continue to charge you the minimum charge (for transportation and distribution) during the time that your service is disconnected. Service can be temporarily disconnected for up to 12 months; after this point the disconnection becomes permanent and you will no longer be charged the minimum monthly charge. If your service is disconnected for more than three years, AltaGas will treat reconnection as a new connection and you will have to have to make an application for new service.
Note that you (the property owner) will have to provide written notice to AltaGas to disconnect service during winter months (November 1 - April 14), unless your property is vacant.
Moving Within the AltaGas Service Territory
Make sure to provide at least five (5) business days' notice when you are moving to another property within the AltaGas territory. Your account number is tied to your property, so you will be reassigned a new AltaGas account number.
Moving Out or Closing Your AltaGas Account
You should give at least five (5) days' notice to close your account. You can provide notice of your intention to close your account by calling AltaGas's customer service line, or by emailing AltaGas customer service at [email protected]. If you are a default supply customer, AltaGas may ask you to take and report the final reading of your meter. AltaGas will charge you if you wish to stop service on a non-working day (i.e. during the weekend, or a holiday).
As AltaGas is a regulated rate provider, you do not have to pay a fee to close your account.