Short answer: pick a retailer and rate, give them the site ID, account number and service address from a recent bill, and they file the enrolment for you. The switch takes effect on your next meter read, so allow up to one billing cycle. Your power never goes out, no technician visits, and your wires company does not change. Do nothing and you stay on the Rate of Last Resort at 12.01 to 12.06¢/kWh.
Rates quoted are from our live rate sheet. Default rate and consumer protection details are from the Utilities Consumer Advocate. Last updated August 20, 2026.
What you need before you start
Everything a retailer needs is printed on a recent electricity bill. Have it in front of you:
- Site ID (site number) — the long number that identifies the meter at your address. This is what actually gets enrolled, not your name.
- Your current account number — helpful for matching records and for closing out the old account.
- The full service address, including unit number, and the mailing address if it differs.
- Legal name of the account holder and contact details. If two people are on the account, use the name as it appears on the bill.
- Your monthly consumption in kWh — not required to switch, but you need it to compare offers honestly.
If you cannot find the site ID, your current retailer or your wires company can give it to you over the phone.
The process, step by step
- Compare rates and fees. Look at the energy rate, the monthly administration fee, any transaction fee, the term length and the exit fee. The Utilities Consumer Advocate runs a free cost comparison tool that lists every retailer’s plans by postal code.
- Choose fixed or variable. Fixed buys certainty at a premium; variable tracks the wholesale market and has been cheaper for most of the last year. We lay out the trade-off on fixed vs variable electricity rates in Alberta.
- Sign up with the new retailer. Online, by phone or on paper. Expect a credit check. Depending on the result, some retailers ask for a security deposit.
- The retailer files the enrolment. You do not contact your old retailer, and you do not contact the wires company. The request goes through the province’s settlement system automatically.
- Check the confirmation notice. Retailers send written confirmation of the contract. Read it and verify the name, address, rate, term and fees are what you agreed to.
- The switch lands on your next meter read. Your wires company reads the meter on a set monthly cycle, and the changeover happens at that read. If you enrol just before your read date it can be quick; enrol just after and it can be close to a full month.
- Pay the final bill from your old retailer. It will arrive after the switch and may look unusual: exit fees, a shortened billing period, or a budget plan catch-up can all move the total. Credits are refunded, not transferred.
What does not change
| Concern | Reality |
| Will my power go out? | No. Nothing physical happens. The change is a billing and settlement change. |
| Does someone come to my house? | No. No technician, no meter swap, no appointment. |
| Who fixes an outage now? | The same wires company as before: ATCO Electric, FortisAlberta, EPCOR or ENMAX, assigned by address. You cannot choose it and it does not change. |
| Do delivery charges change? | No. Transmission and distribution rates are approved by the AUC for your wires company and are identical across retailers. |
| Is the electricity different? | No. It is the same grid and the same electrons. Only who bills you for the energy portion changes. |
The full mechanics are on our how switching works page.
Things worth checking before you sign
- Exit fees on your current contract. If you are mid-term on a fixed contract, ask your current retailer for the exact cancellation cost in dollars before you enrol elsewhere. Sometimes the saving covers it; sometimes it does not.
- Notice requirements. Some contracts ask for notice. Confirm with your current retailer.
- Deposits. A weak credit result can trigger a security deposit, refundable after a period of good payment history. Ask what the policy is up front.
- Gas and electricity are separate. They are different commodities on different systems, and each has its own enrolment. A retailer that serves both can do them together, but they are still two switches. Our bundled plans cover both.
- The administration fee. A low headline rate with a high monthly fee often beats nothing. Ours is $9.97 a month. See admin fees explained.
- Landlord or tenant. If utilities are included in your rent, you are not the customer of record and cannot switch the site.
Switching at your current address vs switching when you move
At the same address, you are transferring an existing, energised site from one retailer to another. Nothing is connected or disconnected; the enrolment simply moves at the next meter read.
When you move, you are doing two things at once: closing the site you are leaving and opening service at a new site. That one needs a date. Give your retailer your move-in date and the new service address with enough lead time, and give a forwarding address so the final bill from the old site reaches you. If nobody enrols the new address, the site defaults to the Rate of Last Resort provider for that area until someone does.
What happens if you do nothing
Nothing breaks. You keep receiving power under the Rate of Last Resort, the default rate that replaced the Regulated Rate Option on January 1, 2025. It is currently 12.01 to 12.06¢/kWh depending on service area and is fixed from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026.
That is a safety net rather than a competitive offer. For context, our 30-day variable average was 5.31¢/kWh as of August 17, 2026 and our one-year fixed rate is 6.57¢/kWh. On a home using roughly 600 kWh a month, the energy portion at the default rate is about $72 versus about $32 to $39 on those competitive rates, before fees and delivery charges. The gap is why switching is worth an afternoon of comparison, whether you choose us or someone else. Our current rates are posted daily.
Your rights after you sign
Alberta gives residential energy customers a cooling-off period. According to the Utilities Consumer Advocate, every competitive retailer must allow a contract to be cancelled for any reason, without penalty, within ten calendar days. Retailers are also required to send a written confirmation of the contract terms, which is your chance to catch an error before it becomes a billing problem.
If something goes wrong with a switch or a bill, raise it with the retailer first. If that does not resolve it, the Utilities Consumer Advocate mediates residential, farm and small business utility disputes at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to switch electricity providers in Alberta?
The switch takes effect on your next scheduled meter read, so allow up to one billing cycle. If you enrol shortly before your read date it can happen within days; enrol just after and it can be close to a month. No retailer can control the meter read schedule, which is set by your wires company.
Will my power be shut off when I switch retailers?
No. Switching retailers is a billing change only. There is no service interruption, no technician visit and no meter change. Your wires company, the grid and the electricity itself all stay the same.
What information do I need to switch?
Your site ID or site number, your current account number, the full service address and the legal name on the account. All of it appears on a recent electricity bill. Knowing your monthly kWh consumption also helps you compare offers properly.
Can I cancel after I sign up?
Yes. The Utilities Consumer Advocate states that every competitive retailer in Alberta must allow a residential contract to be cancelled for any reason, without penalty, within ten calendar days of signing. After that, the contract terms and any exit fee apply.
Do I have to switch natural gas and electricity at the same time?
No. They are separate enrolments and can be done independently or with different retailers. A retailer that serves both can process them together, but each commodity switches on its own meter read cycle.
What happens if I never choose a retailer?
You stay on the Rate of Last Resort, currently 12.01 to 12.06 cents per kilowatt-hour and fixed until December 31, 2026. You keep your power, but you pay the default price rather than a competitive one.
Sources
- Utilities Consumer Advocate — How to switch energy retailers — switching steps, exit fees and notice, final bill behaviour, and the ten calendar day cooling-off period. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
- Utilities Consumer Advocate — Default rates — Rate of Last Resort at 12.01 to 12.06¢/kWh, fixed to December 31, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
- Utilities Consumer Advocate — Cost Comparison Tool — independent listing of retailer rates, fees and terms by area. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
- Utilities Consumer Advocate — Retailers and distributors — wires companies and gas distributors are assigned by address. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
- Government of Alberta — Consumer protection — consumer rights and complaint channels for Alberta contracts. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
- Get Energy live rate sheet — competitive rates and administration fee quoted above. Retrieved August 20, 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.
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