Short answer: most of a Calgary power bill is not for sale. ENMAX Power’s regulated
delivery charges and the City’s Local Access Fee come to roughly $72 a month on
700 kWh, and they are identical no matter whose name is on the invoice. The energy
charge is the one line you control — about $84 a month on Calgary’s
12.06¢/kWh default rate, against roughly $40 at our variable
rate’s 5.78¢ 13-month average.
ENMAX Power charges are from its AUC-approved residential tariff in effect
January 1, 2026. Get Energy figures from our live rate sheet: electricity calculated
August 31, 2026, natural gas August 25, 2026. Last updated September 7, 2026.
A Calgary electricity bill, line by line
This is 700 kWh over a 30-day cycle — a mid-range Calgary household. Your usage
will differ; the structure will not.
| Line on your bill | How it is calculated | Monthly | Can a retailer change it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy charge — Rate of Last Resort | 700 kWh × 12.06¢ | $84.42 | Yes — this is the competitive line |
| Energy charge — Get Energy variable (13-month average) | 700 kWh × 5.78¢ | $40.46 | Yes |
| Distribution — service and facilities | 30.4 days × $0.769463/day | $23.39 | No — regulated |
| Distribution — system usage | 700 kWh × $0.015477 | $10.83 | No — regulated |
| Transmission — system access | 700 kWh × $0.038996 | $27.30 | No — regulated |
| Local Access Fee (City of Calgary) | 700 kWh × $0.015507 | $10.85 | No — set by the City |
| Get Energy administration fee | per site, per month | $9.97 | — |
Add it up: about $72.38 of delivery and fees before a single kilowatt-hour
of energy is priced. On the default rate the bill lands near $157; with
our variable rate and administration fee, near $123. GST is extra on both. The
700 kWh gap between the two energy charges is about $44 a month
— a historical average on a rate that moves, not a guaranteed saving.
Who does what in Calgary
| Role | Who | Do you get a choice? |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity wires, meters, outages | ENMAX Power | No — one distributor per area |
| Natural gas pipes and delivery | ATCO Gas (South) | No |
| Default electricity supply if you never chose | ENMAX Energy, at 12.06¢/kWh to December 31, 2026 | Yes — you can leave any time |
| Competitive retail supply | Get Energy and other retailers | Yes |
This split is the part most people have never had explained. Switching retailer changes the
energy charge and nothing else: same wires, same meter, same outage crew, same phone number to call
when a transformer blows.
Two things that are specific to Calgary
Chinooks make your usage jump, not your rate
A 20°C swing in a single day is a Calgary speciality, and it moves the kilowatt-hours you burn, not the price of each one. That matters when you read a bill: a February invoice that doubles is almost always a usage story, not a rate story. Compare cents per kWh between bills before you conclude your rate changed.
Calgary’s Local Access Fee is charged differently than most of Alberta
Since January 1, 2025 the City of Calgary collects its electricity franchise fee as a fixed amount per kilowatt-hour rather than as a percentage of the energy price. The practical effect: the fee now tracks how much power you use instead of rising and falling with the market rate. It is the only line on your bill set by the City, and no retailer can discount it.
Switching in Calgary
- Sign up online. Choose fixed or variable on our
sign-up page. A credit check forms part of the
application. - We handle the transfer. No call to ENMAX Power or to your current retailer.
It usually completes in about 10 days, and we can try to rush it if you need service sooner. - Same service, different energy line. ENMAX Power still maintains your lines
and ATCO Gas (South) still delivers your gas. Only the energy charge changes.
No contracts and no cancellation fees on any of our plans, so a switch is reversible.
Not sure whether you are on a good price? Send a photo
of your Calgary bill through Bill Check and we will
send back a line-by-line read of your rate, your fees and your usage — whether or not you
switch. We are a Fort McMurray company: call or text (780) 665-4771 and
you reach our own team.
Frequently asked questions — Calgary energy
Who supplies electricity in Calgary?
Two different companies do two different jobs. ENMAX Power owns and operates the wires and is the only distributor in Calgary — that never changes, whoever bills you. Your retailer sets the energy charge, and you choose that. Get Energy is a competitive retailer serving Calgary and the rest of Alberta.
What is the default electricity rate in Calgary in 2026?
12.06¢ per kWh, the Rate of Last Resort, provided in Calgary by ENMAX Energy. It replaced the Regulated Rate Option on January 1, 2025 and is fixed until December 31, 2026. If you have never signed with a competitive retailer, this is what you are paying.
How much of a Calgary electricity bill can a retailer actually change?
Only the energy charge. On 700 kWh a month, ENMAX Power’s regulated distribution and transmission charges plus the City’s Local Access Fee come to about $72 before the energy line is added. Those are identical whoever bills you. The energy charge is the negotiable part, and at our 13-month average it works out near $40 against about $84 on the default rate.
How much can I save by switching energy provider in Calgary?
On 700 kWh a month the difference between the 12.06¢ default rate and our variable rate’s 5.78¢ 13-month average is roughly $44 a month, before our $9.97 monthly administration fee. That is a historical average, not a promise — a variable rate moves. Your own usage is what decides the real number, which is why we would rather read your actual bill.
Do I need to contact ENMAX Power or my current retailer to switch?
No. You sign up with us and we handle the transfer. ENMAX Power keeps maintaining the lines and ATCO Gas (South) keeps delivering gas. Nothing physical changes and the power does not go off. The switch usually completes in about 10 days.
Does switching retailers in Calgary interrupt my power or gas?
No. The same wires and pipes deliver your energy and the same utility responds to an outage. A retailer switch is a billing change, not a service change.
Should I choose a fixed or variable rate in Calgary?
Ask whether a $150 swing in one winter month would genuinely hurt your budget. If yes, a fixed rate at 6.57¢ per kWh buys certainty. If you could absorb it, variable has cost less over most long windows — our 13-month average is 5.78¢ including the transaction fee. Neither is universally right.
Who delivers natural gas in Calgary?
ATCO Gas (South) owns the distribution system and its delivery charges are regulated and unavoidable. As with electricity, a retailer competes on the gas commodity charge only. Our discount variable gas rate averaged $2.96/GJ over the 13 months to August 25, 2026, against a fixed rate of $3.77/GJ.
Related answers
The Rate of Last Resort explained
· Fixed vs
variable electricity rates in Alberta ·
How to switch energy
providers in Alberta ·
Should I lock in my rate?
· How to compare Alberta
rates honestly · All Get Energy rate plans
Sources
- ENMAX Power Corporation distribution tariff, residential rate code D100 — rates in effect as of January 1, 2026 (AUC Decision 30299-D01-2025) — retrieved September 7, 2026.
- ENMAX Energy — Rate of Last Resort in Calgary, 12.06¢/kWh to December 31, 2026 — retrieved September 7, 2026.
- City of Calgary — electricity franchise fee (Local Access Fee), charged on a fixed per-kWh basis since January 1, 2025 — retrieved September 7, 2026.
- ATCO Gas — how regulated natural gas delivery rates are set — retrieved September 7, 2026.
- Get Energy live rate sheet — retrieved September 7, 2026.
Get Energy is a competitive retailer offering electricity and natural gas services for
residential, small business, and farm consumers across Alberta. Get Energy is a tradename of Utility
Network & Partners Inc.
Prices move week to week. Our
Alberta
Energy Market Report tracks wholesale power prices, the natural gas reference price and retail
rate movement every Monday.