A small business in Alberta — up to 250,000 kWh of electricity and 2,500 GJ of
natural gas a year, or roughly under $5,000 a month — can choose its electricity retailer and
its plan type. Businesses that never make that choice sit on the Rate of Last Resort, the regulated
default, which is deliberately not designed to be the cheapest option. Get Energy quotes small
business sites individually, as a retailer and as a broker, and reviews the delivery half of the
bill at the same time.
Rate references below are from Get Energy’s live rate sheet: electricity calculated
September 8, 2026, natural gas calculated September 5, 2026. Last updated September 12, 2026.
Are you a small business or a commercial site?
| Small business | Commercial | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity per year | Up to 250,000 kWh | More than 250,000 kWh |
| Natural gas per year | Up to 2,500 GJ | More than 2,500 GJ |
| Monthly spend | Under about $5,000 | Over about $5,000 |
| What drives the price | Plan type and term | Load profile, peak demand and contract structure |
The line matters because it changes what you should be shopping for. Below it, choosing the right
plan type is most of the battle. Above it, how and when you use power starts to matter more than the
headline rate.
Your three options in Alberta
Rate of Last Resort
The regulated default for sites that never
chose a retailer. It exists as a backstop, not as a competitive offer, and it is normally the most
expensive way to buy power over time.
Fixed rate
A set price per kWh for a term of one to five years.
You are buying budget certainty. It is price insurance, and like all insurance it carries a
premium.
Variable rate
Tracks the market month to month. Lower on average
over most periods, but your bill moves with the market, so it suits a business that can absorb some
variation.
What Get Energy charges
Small business sites are quoted individually rather than from a public price list, because the
right number depends on your usage pattern, your term and your credit profile. For reference, these
are our current published rates on the residential and small-consumer rate sheet:
| Plan | Rate | Calculated |
|---|---|---|
| Variable electricity, 30-day average | 7.06¢/kWh | September 8, 2026 |
| Fixed electricity, 1 year | 6.57¢/kWh | September 8, 2026 |
| Fixed electricity, 2 year | 7.97¢/kWh | September 8, 2026 |
| Variable natural gas, 30-day average | $3.71/GJ | September 5, 2026 |
| Fixed natural gas | $3.77/GJ | September 8, 2026 |
| Administration fee | $9.97 per site per month | — |
Business and farm accounts are assessed individually, including the prudential deposit, so your
quoted rate may differ from the figures above. Ask us for a business quote and we will price your
sites properly.
retailers’ business rates. Commercial pricing is quoted per site and any table of it is out of date
the week it is written. If you want to know how your current rate compares, send us your bill and we
will tell you against the market as it stands today.
The half of the bill the rate does not cover
Even a perfect rate only addresses 40 to 60 per cent of what you pay. The rest is distribution
and transmission. For a small business that is often the more productive place to look, particularly
if you have motor load, a seasonal operation or a site whose use has changed since it was
connected. See delivery charges on
a business bill.
Switching, in practice
- There is no interruption to your service. The wires company still delivers your energy and
still responds to outages. - Switching happens on your next meter read, so timing is predictable.
- If you are under contract, check the exit terms before doing anything — we will read them
with you. - Read the cancellation terms before you sign. Alberta’s ten calendar day cooling-off period
applies to residential and small-consumer contracts; confirm what applies to your agreement.
Book a free Energy Cost Audit
Send us one recent electricity bill and one natural gas bill. We review both halves — the
energy you buy and the delivery charges you are billed to receive it — and come back with a
written summary of what we found and what, if anything, is worth changing. No cost, no obligation,
and no requirement to switch anything.
Upload your bills — free Energy Cost Audit
Prefer email? Send your bills to
info@getenergy.ca, or call
(780) 665-4771, Monday to Friday 9 AM–5 PM.
Common questions
What is the Rate of Last Resort for Alberta businesses?
It is the regulated default rate charged to sites that have never chosen a competitive retailer.
It is a backstop, set by regulation, and it is not intended to be the lowest-cost option.
Can a small business get a fixed electricity rate in Alberta?
Yes, for terms typically from one to five years. Whether it is the right choice depends on how
much budget certainty is worth to you against the premium you pay for it.
Is there a fee to switch?
Get Energy charges no setup fee and no exit fee. Whether your current supplier charges you to
leave depends on your existing agreement.
Do I need a business account, or can I use a residential plan?
If the site is metered as a commercial site, it needs a business account. Many owner-operators
have both, and we can look at them together.
How do I compare an offer properly?
Compare the all-in cost, not the headline rate: energy rate, transaction fee, administration fee,
term, exit terms and what happens at renewal. A low rate that auto-renews onto a high one is not a
low rate.
More for Alberta businesses
- Business energy in Alberta — the overview
- The Energy Cost Audit — what we review and what you get
- Distribution and transmission charges on a business bill
- Small business electricity rates in Alberta
- Commercial natural gas in Alberta
- Do you need an energy broker in Alberta?
Energy prices move every week. Our Alberta
Energy Market Report tracks wholesale power prices, the natural gas reference price and retail
rate movement every Monday.
Get Energy is an Alberta competitive retailer and energy broker serving
residential, small business, farm and commercial consumers. Get Energy is a tradename of Utility
Network & Partners Inc.