![]() ![]() In his eyes, the provincial government should have changed that policy long ago. He says there are two groups of people who remain on the default rate: inattentive Albertans who don't realize they haven't made the switch, and Albertans with low credit who don't qualify for a cheaper fixed rate. Cash-strapped Albertans hit hardestīlake Shaffer, an associate professor in the department of economics at the University of Calgary, says cash-strapped Albertans are being hit the hardest by these unprecedented rates. The more people switch to fixed or floating rates, the higher the bills for RRO customers, he said. "The hiccup is we're expecting this huge mass exodus from the RRO because it is so expensive and the obligation to repay those funds is only on our RRO customers," MacDonald said. ![]() The latest data from the province's Market Surveillance Administrator shows 35 per cent of Albertan households are on the RRO. MacDonald said part of the reason prices are so high is because RRO customers are stuck paying back the $200 million deferral from this year's price cap. Joel MacDonald, founder of the energy comparison website energyrates.ca, says consumers should continue to keep an eye on their electricity options, and be prepared to switch. That's because the last record was broken in February, when the rate rose to 29.6 cents per kilowatt hour in Calgary and 32.9 cents per kilowatt hour in Edmonton - but the province had a temporary price cap in place, so Albertans weren't charged more than 13.5 cents per kilowatt hour on their bills. "This is an all time record high for the RRO, and also the first time that actual cost is flowing down to Albertans," MacDonald said. Joel MacDonald, founder of energyrates.ca, says this increase means Albertans on the default rate could be seeing an average of $125 added to their electricity bills, compared to being on a fixed rate. Pending approval from the Alberta Utilities Commission, it will increase to 31.8 cents per kilowatt hour in Calgary, and 32.5 cents per kilowatt hour in Edmonton. ![]() The regulated rate option (RRO) is currently 27.5 cents per kilowatt hour with ENMAX in Calgary and 28 cents per hour with EPCOR in Edmonton. Alberta's default electricity rate is expected to soar in August to its highest rate charged to customers in the province's history. ![]()
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