Link to Bulletin Summarized Download Summary in PDF Applications - Process The AER announced new functionality and enhancements to its OneStop platform. The AER will post notice and schedule a system outage to implement these changes. The changes relate to the...
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These articles by our expert team cover the details of various decisions made by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), Alberta Utilities Commision (AUC), and Canada Energy Regulator (CER). Browse our searchable archive below to learn more about the results we’ve achieved for our clients.
Site Reduction Reclamation Certificate Pilot, AER Bulletin 2024-05
Link to Bulletin Summarized Download Summary in PDF Facilities – Partial Reclamation In December 2023, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (“AEPA”) announced the Interim directive: pilot for site reductions on well sites (Land Policy, 2023, No.2), regarding a...
Pilot for Reclaiming Peatlands, AER Bulletin 2024-04
Link to Bulletin Summarized Download Summary in PDF Oil and Gas – Land Reclamation On December 14, 2023, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (“AEPA”) released the Interim directive: pilot for reclaiming peatlands - decision framework and support tools for...
Release of New Pipeline Rules and Associated Instruments, AER Bulletin 2023-40
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - law On November 15, 2023, the AER released a new edition of the Pipeline Rules, which came in force on the same day. The amended Pipeline Rules: allow the use of temporary surface pipelines for water conveyance in support of...
Mandatory Closure Spend Quotas for 2024, AER Bulletin 2023-35
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Supplemental Closure Spending Licensees must spend a minimum amount annually on abandoning, remediating and reclaiming their inactive oil and gas sites. In Bulletin 2023-31: Industry-Wide Closure Spend Requirement for 2024,...
Validating Facility Operational Life-Cycle Statuses, AER Bulletin 2023-34
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Facilities The AER announced that it would contact applicable licensees by email to validate the operational life-cycle status of their facilities, as an one-time supplemental data request. Additional information is required...
Consultation on Proposed Amendments to AUC Rule 016, AUC Bulletin 2023-07
Link to Decision Summarized Rules - Applications for Review The AUC proposed amendments to Rule 016: Review of Commission Decisions as part of the ongoing review of its case management procedures and its objective of improving the transparency, clarity and simplicity...
AUC Inquiry Into the Ongoing Economic, Orderly and Efficient Development of Electricity Generation in Alberta, AUC Bulletin 2023-06
Link to Decision Summarized Electricity - Markets On August 3, 2023, the Alberta government issued Order in Council O.C. 171/2023, directing the AUC to inquire and report to the Minister of Affordability and Utilities on the following considerations: the development...
Reminder of Increased Risk During Migratory Bird Season, AER Bulletin 2023-33
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Environment On September 7, 2023, the AER reminded licensees of the beginning of the migratory bird season in Alberta and their responsibility to follow waterfowl protection plans to protect migratory bird populations....
New Edition of Directive 020, AER Bulletin 2023-32
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Well Abandonment On September 5, 2023, the Alberta Energy Regulator (“AER”) released a new edition of Directive 020: Well Abandonment (“Directive 020”), which sets out the requirements for routine abandonment of wells...
Process and Protocol for Rule 012: Noise Control Technical Meeting, AUC Bulletin 2023-03
Link to Bulletin Summarized Rules - Facilities The AUC is conducting an ongoing consultation on certain provisions of Rule 012: Noise Control to streamline and improve regulatory and adjudicative processes. On July 12, 2023, with this bulletin, the AUC provided the...
File Changes for Brine Hosted Minerals, AER Bulletin 2023-28
Link to Bulletin Summarized Minerals – Resource Development The AER updated its Digital Data Submission system to enable the collection, in the pressure ASCII standard (PAS) file, of the data required to be submitted by licensees pursuant to requirement 79 of...
New Edition of Directive 001, AER Bulletin 2023-27
Link to Bulletin Summarized Oil and Gas - Geothermal Resources On July 4, 2023, the Alberta Energy Regulator released a new edition of Directive 001: Requirements for Site-Specific Liability Assessment, which includes the following changes: Removal of irrelevant or...
Increased Risk of Wildfire During Drier Seasons, AER Bulletin 2023-25
Link to Bulletin Summarized Oil and Gas - Monitoring The AER reminded licensees that the risk of brush/grass fires increases significantly during wildfire season, which is from March 1 to October 31. The Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (“AAF”) has a tiered fire ban...
Amendments to AUC Rule 019, AUC Bulletin 2021-03
Link to Bulletin Summarized The AUC approved amendments to Rule 019: Specified Penalties for Contravention of ISO Rules. The changes are effective as of March 1, 2021.On December 17, 2020, the AUC initiated a rule-review process in which it sought feedback from...
Proposed Amendments to AUC Rule 016, AUC Bulletin 2021-02
Link to Bulletin Summarized As part of the effort to implement process efficiencies identified in the Report of the AUC Procedures and Process Review Committee, the AUC proposes amendments to Rule 016: Review of Commission Decisions.Proposed ChangesIn consideration of...
Proposed Amendments to AUC Rule 005 Schedules, AUC Bulletin 2021-01
Link to Bulletin SummarizedRegulatory Efficiency The government of Alberta introduced the Red Tape Reduction Act to reduce regulatory burden and improve regulatory efficiency. As part of this, the AUC is reviewing its rules to reduce regulatory requirements.The AUC...
Reducing Regulatory Burden: Checklist Applications for Certain Abbreviated Needs Identification Document Applications, AUC Bulletin 2020-40
Link to Bulletin Summarized The pilot project for low-risk electric transmission and gas utility pipeline applications launched in Bulletin 2020-15 will be expanded to include abbreviated needs identification document applications that are driven by system access...
Proposed Amendments to AUC Rule 002 Will Reduce Regulatory Burden and Improve Efficiency, AUC Bulletin 2020-39
Link to Bulletin Summarized The AUC has proposed amendments to Rule 002: Service Quality and Reliability Performance Monitoring and Reporting for Owners of Electric Distribution Systems and for Gas Distributors that would:Replace quarterly reporting requirements with...
The AUC Moves to Reduce Regulatory Burden and Improve Efficiency with Rule 021 and Rule 028, AUC Bulletin 2020-38
Link to Bulletin Summarized The AUC has proposed amendments to Rule 021: Settlement System Code Rules and Rule 028: Natural Gas System Settlement Code that would:Remove the Pre-final error correction process requirement from both rules;Remove the USA transaction...
Amendment to AUC Rule 027, AUC Bulletin 2020-37
Link to Bulletin Summarized On November 19, 2020, Rule 027: Specified Penalties for Contravention of Reliability Standards came into effect in its amended form. Rule 027 was amended to reflect a revision to the naming of an Alberta reliability standard PRC-005-AB1-6...
Invitation for Feedback on Proposed Changes to the Pipeline Rules, AER Bulletin 2020-24
Link to Bulletin Summarized The AER sought feedback on proposed changes to the Pipeline Rules. The rules were made by the AER under the authority of the Pipeline Act. The rules were last reviewed and updated in 2005.The changes include modernizing them to align with...
AUC Moves to Reduce Regulatory Burden and Improve Efficiency with Rule Amendments, AUC Bulletin 2020-36
Link to Bulletin Summarized The AUC has proposed amendments to Rule 003: Service Standards for Energy Service Providers that would:Remove the requirement to submit call center and billing performance data;Remove the requirement to submit customer satisfaction...
Amendments to AUC Rule 017 Including Streamlining Requirements, AUC Bulletin 2020-35
Link to Bulletin Summarized On November 6, 2020, the amendments to Rule 017: Procedures and Process for Development of ISO Rules and Filing of ISO Rules with the Alberta Utilities Commission, which were approved on October 19, 2020, came into effect.BackgroundThe AUC...
Invitation for Feedback on Revisions to Directive 20, AER Bulletin 2020-23
Link to Bulletin Summarized After a multiyear study, the AER published Open File Report 2019-06: A Risk-Based Methodology for Commingled Well Abandonment – Southeastern Alberta Gas Field Case Study. Based on the findings of that study, the AER released Bulletin...
Suspension of Specified Penalties Program for Certain Self-Reported Contraventions Extended to June 18, 2021, AUC Bulletin 2020-34
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin The AUC extended the operation of Bulletin 2020-10 until June 18, 2021, the date on which the repayment period concluded under the Utility Payment Deferral Program Act. The extension would promote the self-disclosure of...
Process Improvements to AUC Rate Proceedings, AUC Bulletin 2020-33
Link to Bulletin SummarizedRule 001 - Rule 022 The AUC announced it would make changes to its process and procedures for rate cases. The Bulletin provides additional information concerning the implementation of changes recommended in the report by the AUC Procedures...
Amendments to AUC Rule 027, AUC Bulletin 2020-32
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulk-Power System Security - Critical Infrastructure Protection Reliability Standards On October 21, 2020, the AUC amended Rule 027: Specified Penalties for Contravention of Reliability Standards with the addition of clause 5.3.The previous...
Revised Draft Version of AUC Rule 007 and Interim Changes to AUC Participation Involvement Program, AUC Bulletin 2020-30
Link to Bulletin SummarizedStakeholder Feedback - Participant Involvement The AUC asked for stakeholder feedback on proposed amendments to AUC Rule 007: Applications for Power Plants, Substations, Transmission Lines, Industrial System Designations and Hydro...
Amended Rule 006: Rules on Regulatory Audits, AUC Bulletin 2020-29
Link to Bulletin SummarizedMinor Amendments - Modernization On July 28, 2020, the AUC approved an amended Rule 006: Rules on Regulatory Audits. This amended rule, with links to related information, can be found on the AUC website. The effective date of the amended...
Alberta Utilities Commission Discussion Paper on Power Plant Self-Supply and Export, AUC Bulletin 2020-28
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - AUC Discussion Paper - Power Plant Self-Supply and Export In the fall of 2019, the AUC conducted stakeholder engagement on the issue of power plant self-supply and export.On June 5, 2020, the AUC provided the Department of Energy...
Invitation for Feedback on Draft Directive on Well Integrity Management, AER Bulletin 2020-16
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - Invitation for Feedback - Well Integrity Management On July 16, 2020, the AER announced it is seeking feedback on a new draft directive, Directive XXX: Well Integrity Management. The new draft directive contains testing,...
Suspension of Commissioning and Notarizing Requirements, AUC Bulletin 2020-27
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - Commissioning and Notarizing Requirements On May 6, 2020, the AUC issued Bulletin 2020-16: Requirements for Costs Claim Applications and Confidentiality Undertakings, which suspended the requirement to have a confidentiality...
AUC Extends Suspension of Specified Penalties Program for Self-Reported Contraventions to September 30, 2020, AUC Bulletin 2020-26
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - Extension to Specified Penalties Program On March 27, 2020, the AUC issued Bulletin 2020-10: Suspension of Specified Penalties Program for Self-Reported Contraventions, which suspended the issuance of notices of specified...
New Edition of Directive 060, AER Bulletin 2020-15
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - New Edition of Directive 060 On July 7, 2020 the AER released a new edition of Directive 060: Upstream Petroleum Industry Flaring, Incinerating, and Venting. Section 2.6 was updated to permit the use of incinerators and enclosed...
Reducing Regulatory Burden With Materiality Thresholds for Review of Cost of Service Rate Applications, AUC Bulletin 2020-25
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - Rates - Reducing Regulatory Burden One of the key themes articulated in the AUC’s strategic plan for 2019-2022 was increased efficiency and reduced regulatory burden. The AUC indicated it understands the importance of...
Review of AUC Rule 017: Procedures and Process for Development of ISO Rules and Filing of ISO Rules with the Alberta Utilities Commission, AUC Bulletin 2020-24
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - Review of AUC Rule 017 The AUC stated that the Government of Alberta introduced the Red Tape Reduction Act to reduce regulatory burden and improve regulatory efficiency. The AUC explained that agencies, including the AUC, form...
Bulletin 2020-23 – Additional Amendments to AUC Rule 027: Specified Penalties for Contravention of Reliability Standards, June 30, 2020
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - Rule 027 On May 20, 2020, the AUC approved the proposed changes to Rule 027: Specified Penalties for Contravention of Reliability Standards, with an effective date of June 1, 2020. These amendments were summarized in AUC Bulletin...
Temporary Suspensions of Monitoring and Reporting Requirements End July 15, AER Bulletin 2020-14
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - End to Temporary Suspensions of Monitoring and Reporting Requirements The AER announced on June 23, 2020, that on July 15, 2020, it would be lifting all temporary suspensions of reporting and monitoring requirements.The AER noted...
OneStop Enhancements and Fixes, AER Bulletin 2020-13
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - OneStop Platform The AER announced on June 19, 2020, that on June 25, 2020, it would release enhancements and fixes to the OneStop platform.The AER stated that industry would be able to request to withdraw any undecided...
External Engagement on Draft AUC Indigenous Consultation Framework, AUC Bulletin 2020-22
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - Indigenous Consultation Framework The AUC explained that it regulates the construction and operation of utility projects. The AUC has the authority to consider and address potential adverse impacts to Aboriginal and Treaty rights...
Amendments to AUC Rule 027: Penalties for Contravention of Reliability Standards, AUC Bulletin 2020-21
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - Amendment to AUC Rule 027 The AUC advised that on May 20, 2020, it approved amendments to Rule 027: Specified Penalties for Contravention of Reliability Standards, with an effective date of June 1, 2020.BackgroundBeginning in...
Commission-Initiated Proceeding to Focus on Specific Depreciation-Related Matters, AUC Bulletin 2020-20
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - Commission-Initiated Proceeding - Depreciation The AUC initiated Proceeding 25560 (the “Proceeding”) for the purpose of examining specific depreciation-related matters. The Proceeding is being initiated, in part, as a result of...
Utility Payment Deferral Program Funding Request Details for Electricity and Natural Gas Service Providers, AUC Bulletin 2020-19
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - COVID 19 - Utility Payment Deferral The AUC explained that the Utility Payment Deferral Program, announced by the Government of Alberta on March 18, 2020, was put in place to support Albertans who are experiencing financial...
Requirements Aimed at Reducing Methane Emissions Amended, AER Bulletin 2020-12
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - Methane Emission Reduction On May 12, 2020, the AER announced that it released new editions of Directive 017: Measurement Requirements for Oil and Gas Operations and Directive 060: Upstream Petroleum Industry Flaring,...
Tracking and Reporting the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Utility Operations, Costs and Revenues, AUC Bulletin 2020-18
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - COVID 19 Impact - Tracking and Reporting In a letter to the AUC, the Consumers’ Coalition of Alberta (“CCA”) requested that the AUC direct regulated utilities to record and eventually report on current and ongoing decisions,...
AUC Creates Independent, Expert Committee to Assist in Improving Efficiency of Rates Proceedings, AUC Bulletin 2020-17
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - Rates - Expert Committee In this Bulletin, the AUC summarized its plans to continue discussions with stakeholders about reducing regulatory burden and lag and provided an update on initiatives underway or planned to pursue further...
Requirements for Costs Claim Applications and Confidentiality Undertakings, AUC Bulletin 2020-16
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - COVID 19 - Costs Claim - Confidentiality Undertakings The AUC announced that, as part of its response to COVID-19, it had suspended the following requirements until further notice:(a) filing a sworn...
Additional Information for Industry During COVID-19 Pandemic Response, AER Bulletin 2020-11
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin - COVID-19 Response - Information for Industry On April 9, 2020, the AER issued Bulletin 2020-10: Relief for Industry During COVID-19 Pandemic Response, explaining how two ministerial orders apply to parties regulated by the Alberta...
AUC Bulletin 2020-14 – Stakeholder Comments Sought on Suggested Updates to AUC Rule 027 Penalty Table
Link to Bulletin SummarizedBulletin – Rule 027 On January 31, 2020, the Alberta Utilities Commission released Bulletin 2020-03 announcing a consultation with stakeholders to review AUC Rule 027: Specified Penalties for Contravention of Reliability Standards, to update...