Regulatory Insights
RLC remains at the forefront of new developments in Canada’s energy sector to ensure we can act effectively on behalf of our clients and their interests.
These articles cover the details of various decisions made by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC), and the Canada Energy Regulator (CER). Browse our searchable archives below.
Inuvialuit Energy Security Project Ltd. Application for a Well Approval in Relation to the TUK M-18 Well Pursuant to Subsection 10(1) of the Northwest Territories’ Oil and Gas Drilling and Productions Regulations, CER Letter Decision A8W4J5 (C28481-1)
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Facilities Application ATCO Pipelines (“AP”) requested approval of the 2024 revenue requirement of $362,852,000 on an interim and refundable basis. Decision The AUC approved AP’s 2024 interim revenue requirement of...
ATCO Electric Ltd. Kiwetinohk Opal Transmission Project, AUC Decision 28658-D01-2024
Link to Decision Summarized Electricity – Facilities Application ATCO Electric Ltd. (“AE”) applied for approval to construct and operate a new transmission line, a transmission line alteration and a connection to the approved Kiwetinohk Opal Gas Project. Decision The...
Alberta Electric System Operator Application for Approval of Amended Section 306.7 of the ISO Rules, AUC Decision 28081-D01-2024
Link to Decision Summarized Electricity - ISO Rules Application In this application, the AESO requested approval of; amendments to s 306.7 of the independent system operator (“ISO”) rules (“ISO Rules”), Mothball Outage Reporting; consequential amendments to s 2.4 of...
Amendments to AUC Rule 022: Rules on Costs in Utility Rates Proceedings and Rule 009: Rules on Local Intervener Costs, AUC Bulletin 2024-02
Link to Decision Summarized Rates – Proceeding Costs The AUC amended Rule 022: Rules on Costs in Utility Rates Proceedings (“Rule 022”), including the scale of costs, which governs the recovery of the costs of participation in rates proceedings before the AUC. The AUC...
AltaLink Management Ltd. 2024-2025 General Tariff Application Negotiated Settlement Agreement, AUC Decision 28174-D01-2024
Link to Decision Summarized Power - Rates Application AltaLink Management Ltd. (“AML”) applied for approval of a negotiated settlement agreement (“NSA”) with respect to its 2024 - 2025 general tariff application (“GTA”). Decision The AUC approved the NSA, as filed,...
Directive 026 Rescinded, AER Bulletin 2024-02
Link to Decision Summarized Oil – Facilities To eliminate duplicative or obsolete requirements, the AER rescinded Directive 026: Setback Requirements for Oil Effluent Pipelines (“Directive 026”), effective immediately. The AER also rescinded the Directive 026 related...
Evergreen Gas Co-op Ltd. Franchise Agreement with the Town of Drayton Valley (AUC Decision 25219-D01-2020)
Link to Decision SummarizedFranchise Agreement In this decision, the AUC considered an application filed by Evergreen Gas Co-op Ltd. (“Evergreen”) requesting approval of a natural gas franchise...
Direct Energy Regulated Services 2019 Default Rate Tariff and Regulated Rate Tariff Compliance Filing (AUC Decision 25255-D01-2020)
Link to Decision SummarizedCompliance Filing - Default Rate Tariff - Regulated Rate Tariff In this decision, the AUC approved the Direct Energy Regulated Services (“DERS”) compliance filing to...
Stakeholder Comments Sought on Defining and Measuring Regulatory Burden for Industry Impact Assessment (AUC Bulletin 2020-02)
Link to Bulletin SummarizedRegulatory Burden of Impact Assessment This bulletin set out how the AUC intends to define and measure the impact of the AUC’s regulatory activities in its future...
New Manual on the Decommissioning, Closure, and Abandonment of Dams at Energy Projects (AER Bulletin 2020-01)
Link to Bulletin SummarizedAbandonment - Dams On January 16, 2020, the AER released Manual 019: Decommissioning, Closure, and Abandonment of Dams at Energy Projects. The manual explains how the AER...
Commission-Initiated Review of Decision 20414-D01-2016 (Errata) and Decision 22394-D01-2018 (AUC Decision 24609-D01-2020)
Link to Decision SummarizedDepreciation Parameters - Review and Variance In this decision, the AUC considered the mechanics for incorporating approved changes to a distribution utility’s...
Market Surveillance Administrator Application for Approval of a Revised Settlement Agreement Between the Market Surveillance Administrator and the Balancing Pool (AUC Decision 23828-D02-2020)
Link to Decision SummarizedBalancing Pool - Revised Settlement Agreement In this decision, the AUC considered an application by the Market Surveillance Administrator (“MSA”) for approval of a...
EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc. 2017 Capital Tracker True-Up Compliance Filing to Decisions 23571-D01-2019 and 23571-D02-2019 (AUC Decision 24980-D01-2020)
Link to Decision SummarizedCapital Tracker Compliance Filing This decision provides the AUC’s determination of the EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc. (“EPCOR” or “EDTI”) compliance with the...
EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc. 2017 Capital Tracker True-Up Compliance Filing to Decisions 23571-D01-2019 and 23571-D02-2019 (AUC Decision 24980-D01-2020)
Link to Decision SummarizedCapital Tracker Compliance Filing This decision provides the AUC’s determination of the EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc. (“EPCOR” or “EDTI”) compliance with the...
Release date for Enhancement to the eFiling System to Support Confidential Proceedings (AUC Announcement January 13, 2020)
Link to Announcement SummarizedConfidential Proceedings The AUC confirmed the release date of the enhancement to the eFiling System to support the exchange of confidential documents between...
ATCO Pipelines Variance of Decision 22986-D01-2018 and Decision 23537-D01-2018 (Errata) (AUC Decision 24176-D01-2020)
Link to Decision SummarizedReview and Variance - Prudence In this decision, an AUC review panel (the “Review Panel”) considered ATCO Pipelines’ claim for a variance of Decision 22986-D01-20181 and...
International Paper Canada Pulp Holdings ULC Industrial System Designation and Permanent Connection Order for the Grande Prairie Pulp Mill Complex (AUC Decision 24979-D01-2020)
Link to Decision SummarizedIndustrial System Designation - Connection Order In this decision, the AUC considered an application (the “Application”) from International Paper Canada Pulp Holdings ULC...
ATCO Electric Limited Decision on Preliminary Question Application for Review of Decision 22742-D01-2019 2018-2019 Transmission General Tariff Application (AUC Decision 24824-D01-2020)
Link to Decision SummarizedGeneral Tariff Application - Review and Variance In this decision, the AUC considered whether to grant an application (the “Review Application”) filed by ATCO Electric...
Exploring Market Concerns and Tariff Issues Related to Self-Supply and Export Reform (AUC Bulletin 2020-01)
Link to Bulletin SummarizedSelf-Supply - Export Reform In several recent decisions, the AUC found that, subject to limited exceptions, the owner of a generating unit was prohibited from using that...
Request for Regulatory Appeal by TransAlta Corporation Alberta Energy Regulator Subsurface Order No. 6 Panel Subsurface Order No. 6 (Request for Regulatory Appeal No. 1922192)
Link to Decision SummarizedRegulatory Appeal - Eligible Person - Appealable Decision In this decision, the AER considered the TransAlta Corporation (“TransAlta”) request under section 38 of the...
Abandonment Hearing NOVA Gas Transmission Limited 2018 Meter Stations and Laterals Abandonment Program (MHW-003-2019)
Link to Decision SummarizedPipeline Abandonment In this decision, the CER considered an application by NOVA Gas Transmission Limited (“NGTL”) for the abandonment of 15 meter stations and 22...
EDP Renewables SH Project GP Ltd. Sharp Hills Wind Project Amendments (AUC Decision 24401-D01-2019)
Link to Decision SummarizedWind Projects - Rule 012 - Noise Control In this decision, the AUC considered whether to approve applications from EDP Renewables SH Project GP Ltd. (“EDP”) for amendments...
ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd. 2017 Capital Tracker True-Up Compliance Filing to Decision 23789-D01-2019 (AUC Decision 24333-D01-2019)
Link to Decision Summarized Capital Tracker This decision sets out the AUC determination regarding the compliance of ATCO Gas, the distribution division of ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd., with the...
AltaGas Utilities Inc. 2018 Depreciation Study (AUC Decision 24161-D03-2019)
Link to Decision Summarized Depreciation Study In this decision, the AUC provided its findings on the AltaGas Utilities Inc. (“AltaGas”) 2018 depreciation application, which was supported by a...
Requests for Regulatory Appeal by Werner Ambros and Sharon Ambros Encana Corporation (Requests for Regulatory Appeal Nos. 1919768 and 1924228)
Link to Decision SummarizedRegulatory Appeal AER In this decision, the AER considered the requests of Werner Ambros and Sharon Ambros (the “Ambroses”) under section 38 of the Responsible Energy...
Bell Canada v. Canada (Attorney General) (2019 SCC 66)
Link to Case SummarizedAdministrative Law - Standard of Review In this case, the same 7-2 majority in Vavilov applied the new standard of review framework to an appeal of a Canadian Radio-television...
Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Vavilov (2019 SCC 65)
Link to Case SummarizedAdministrative Law - Standard of Review In this case, a 7-2 majority of the Supreme Court of Canada (the “Supreme Court”) revised the rules that govern the standard of review,...
Amendments to AUC Rule 002, Rule 003 and Rule 032 (AUC Bulletin 2019-21)
Link to Bulletin SummarizedAUC Rules On November 22, 2019, the AUC approved amendments to Rule 002: Service Quality and Reliability Performance Monitoring and Reporting for Owners of Electric...
EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc. 2020 Annual Performance-Based Regulation Rate Adjustment (AUC Decision 24882-D01-2019)
Link to Decision SummarizedPerformance-Based Regulation In this decision, the AUC considered the 2020 annual performance-based regulation (“PBR”) rate adjustment filing of EPCOR Distribution &...
EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc. 2020 Annual Performance-Based Regulation Rate Adjustment (AUC Decision 24882-D01-2019)
Link to Decision SummarizedPerformance-Based Regulation In this decision, the AUC considered the 2020 annual performance-based regulation (“PBR”) rate adjustment filing of EPCOR Distribution &...