AltaLink
Encyclopedia
AltaLink, L.P. is Canada’s only fully independent transmission company. Based in Alberta
, AltaLink is responsible for the maintenance and operation of approximately 12,000 kilometres of transmission lines and 280 substations in Alberta.
. It owns and operates approximately 12,000 km of transmission lines and approximately 280 substations, which makes up for the bulk of Alberta’s high‐voltage electricity transmission infrastructure. AltaLink also owns and operates the Alberta portion of the interconnection that allows electricity to be exchanged between Alberta and British Columbia
.
AltaLink has more than 600 employees. Headquartered in Calgary
, Alberta, the company also has offices in Lethbridge
, Red Deer
, and Edmonton
.
is separated into generation, transmission, and distribution. While the cost of electricity generation is dependent upon market forces, the cost of electricity transmission and distribution in Alberta is regulated by the provincial government.
The planning and operation of Alberta’s electric system is done by the Alberta Electric System Operator
(AESO), a non-profit entity independent of any industry affiliations and owns no transmission or market assets. The AESO determines the need for the province, and then directs Transmission Facilities Owners (TFOs) to build the project.
Transmission Facilities Owners are regulated by the Alberta Utilities Commission and include companies like AltaLink, ATCO Electric
, ENMAX POWER in Calgary, and EPCOR
in Edmonton. All TFOs must follow AUC regulations in engaging stakeholders, and the projects have to be approved by the AUC.
AltaLink has been a sponsor of Alberta 4-H since 2005. Currently, AltaLink is a Legacy Builder sponsor and is the title sponsor of all the regional, district, and provincial communications and public speaking programs.
AltaLink is also a member of the Joint Utilitiy Safety Team (JUST). JUST’s mandate is to positively affect change in attitudes and behaviours toward power line safety, to help reduce power line incidents.
In partnership with the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee, AltaLink hosted Canada’s first Avian Interactions with Power Lines Workshop that took place in Banff, Alberta from August 10 to 12, 2011. The international workshop brought together around 100 representatives from AltaLink and the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee, including government and industry professionals from across North America, to focus on protecting birds from electrical equipments.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, AltaLink is responsible for the maintenance and operation of approximately 12,000 kilometres of transmission lines and 280 substations in Alberta.
About AltaLink
AltaLink, L.P. is an Alberta based utility company that provides electricity transmission services to most of Alberta. On April 30, 2002, AltaLink assumed control of Alberta’s largest transmission system previously owned by TransAltaTransAlta
TransAlta Corporation is a power generation and wholesale marketing company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta.TransAlta maintains a low-to-moderate risk profile by operating a highly contracted portfolio of assets in Canada, the United States and Australia...
. It owns and operates approximately 12,000 km of transmission lines and approximately 280 substations, which makes up for the bulk of Alberta’s high‐voltage electricity transmission infrastructure. AltaLink also owns and operates the Alberta portion of the interconnection that allows electricity to be exchanged between Alberta and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
AltaLink has more than 600 employees. Headquartered in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta, the company also has offices in Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
, Red Deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
, and Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
.
Transmission in Alberta
Alberta’s electricity marketAlberta electricity policy
In 1996, Alberta began to restructure its electricity market away from traditional regulation to a market-based system. The market now includes a host of buyers and sellers, and an increasingly diverse infrastructure....
is separated into generation, transmission, and distribution. While the cost of electricity generation is dependent upon market forces, the cost of electricity transmission and distribution in Alberta is regulated by the provincial government.
The planning and operation of Alberta’s electric system is done by the Alberta Electric System Operator
Alberta Electric System Operator
The Alberta Electric System Operator, abbreviated AESO, is a not-for-profit entity responsible for the planning and operation of the Alberta Interconnected Electric System in a safe, reliable, and economical manner....
(AESO), a non-profit entity independent of any industry affiliations and owns no transmission or market assets. The AESO determines the need for the province, and then directs Transmission Facilities Owners (TFOs) to build the project.
Transmission Facilities Owners are regulated by the Alberta Utilities Commission and include companies like AltaLink, ATCO Electric
ATCO Electric
ATCO Electric is an electric utility company. Based in Edmonton, Alberta, ATCO Electric transmits and distributes electricity to two thirds of Alberta, namely in north and east-central Alberta, as well as communities in the Yukon and North West Territories...
, ENMAX POWER in Calgary, and EPCOR
EPCOR
EPCOR Utilities Inc., formerly known as Aqualta and Eltec, is a utility company based in Edmonton, Alberta, which manages numerous municipal water and wastewater treatment facilities throughout Alberta and British Columbia...
in Edmonton. All TFOs must follow AUC regulations in engaging stakeholders, and the projects have to be approved by the AUC.
Breaking Down an Electricity Bill
AltaLink earns a regulated return on its investment to build, operate and maintain Alberta’s power system, as determined by the AUC. AltaLink earns this return by recovering a portion of the transmission charge that is on every ratepayer’s electricity bill. This transmission charge represents less than 10 per cent of the average total electricity bill.Corporate Governance
AltaLink is governed by a Board of Directors. The current directors of the board include David Tuer (Chair), Michael Bernstein, Jack Bittan, Jim Burke, Gilles Laramée, Paul McCoy, Douglas Mitchell, Q.C., Patricia Nelson, and Robert Turgeon.Community Involvement
According to AltaLink’s 2011 Report to Communities, through the building and maintenance of AltaLink’s transmission facilities, the company expects to create more than 37,000 person-years of employment related to construction and local support services between 2010 to 2015.AltaLink has been a sponsor of Alberta 4-H since 2005. Currently, AltaLink is a Legacy Builder sponsor and is the title sponsor of all the regional, district, and provincial communications and public speaking programs.
AltaLink is also a member of the Joint Utilitiy Safety Team (JUST). JUST’s mandate is to positively affect change in attitudes and behaviours toward power line safety, to help reduce power line incidents.
In partnership with the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee, AltaLink hosted Canada’s first Avian Interactions with Power Lines Workshop that took place in Banff, Alberta from August 10 to 12, 2011. The international workshop brought together around 100 representatives from AltaLink and the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee, including government and industry professionals from across North America, to focus on protecting birds from electrical equipments.
See also
- Electricity sector in Canada#Alberta
- Alberta electricity policyAlberta electricity policyIn 1996, Alberta began to restructure its electricity market away from traditional regulation to a market-based system. The market now includes a host of buyers and sellers, and an increasingly diverse infrastructure....
- Electric power transmissionElectric power transmissionElectric-power transmission is the bulk transfer of electrical energy, from generating power plants to Electrical substations located near demand centers...
- Electricity marketElectricity marketIn economic terms, electricity is a commodity capable of being bought, sold and traded. An electricity market is a system for effecting purchases, through bids to buy; sales, through offers to sell; and short-term trades, generally in the form of financial or obligation swaps. Bids and offers use...