How to Switch Energy Providers in Alberta (2026) — 3 Simple Steps

Can You Really Switch Energy Providers in Alberta?

Yes — and it’s easier than most people think. Alberta has a deregulated energy market, which means you’re free to choose your electricity and natural gas provider. You’re not locked into whoever your utility company assigns you to. Unlike other provinces where a single crown corporation controls energy, Alberta gives you the power to shop around for better rates. And switching doesn’t affect your service — your wires, meters, and delivery stay the same. Only the supply charge on your bill changes.

How Long Does It Take to Switch?

With most providers, including Get Energy, you can switch in under 5 minutes online. There’s no paperwork to mail, no technician visit, and — here’s the part most people don’t realize — you don’t need to call your current provider. Your new provider handles the transfer automatically.

Step-by-Step: How to Switch Energy Providers

Step 1: Find Your Current Rate

Check your most recent electricity or gas bill. Look for the “Energy Charges” or “Supply” line item — that’s the rate you’re paying per kWh (electricity) or per GJ (natural gas). If you’re on the Rate of Last Resort (RoLR), you are paying 12.01 to 12.06¢/kWh, well above current competitive rates.

Step 2: Compare Rates

Visit the Utilities Consumer Advocate (UCA) website or check provider websites directly. Look at both the rate and the contract terms. Some things to compare:

• Rate type: Fixed (locked in) vs. variable (fluctuates monthly)
• Contract length: Month-to-month vs. 1-5 year terms
• Cancellation fees: Some providers charge exit fees; others don’t
• Admin fees: Check for hidden monthly charges

Step 3: Sign Up Online

Once you’ve picked a provider, signing up usually takes just a few minutes. You’ll need:

• Your name and service address
• Your site ID number (found on your bill)
• A valid email address

With Get Energy, you can sign up online and be switched within one billing cycle — no phone calls required.

Step 4: Wait for the Switch

Your new rate kicks in at the start of your next billing cycle, usually within 30 days. You’ll receive a confirmation from your new provider. Your electricity and gas service continues uninterrupted — nothing changes except the rate on your bill.

What About Cancellation Fees?

This depends on your current contract. If you’re on the Rate of Last Resort (RoLR) or a month-to-month plan, there’s no cancellation fee. If you’re on a fixed-term contract with another provider, check your agreement — some charge early exit fees. Get Energy offers plans with no cancellation fees, so you’re never locked in.

Will My Service Be Interrupted?

No. Switching providers only changes who supplies your energy — not who delivers it. Your local utility (ATCO, ENMAX, EPCOR, FortisAlberta, etc.) still maintains the wires and pipes. There’s zero downtime during a switch.

How Much Can You Save?

Savings depend on your current rate and usage, but most Albertans on the Rate of Last Resort can save by switching to a competitive fixed or variable rate. Even a difference of 1-2¢/kWh adds up over a year — a typical household using 600 kWh/month could save $70-$140 annually just on electricity.

Ready to Switch?

Check Get Energy’s current rates and see how much you could save. Signing up takes less than 5 minutes, and you’ll never need to call your old provider.

New to the province? Read hydro in Alberta: who supplies your power — the vocabulary and market structure explained for newcomers from BC, Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec.

More Get Energy guides, rate pages and Alberta city pages: browse the full index.

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.

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.

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.

Not sure what you signed? No-contract energy providers in Alberta explains terms, exit fees and auto-renewal, and what Get Energy charges to leave (nothing).

Shopping on price? Cheapest electricity rates in Alberta shows how to compare the full energy charge — fees included — against the Rate of Last Resort.

More answers: When is the best time to switch energy provider in Alberta? · Should I lock in my energy rate in Alberta?

Want the numbers for your own city? See a Calgary electricity bill broken down line by line — ENMAX Power’s regulated delivery charges, the City’s Local Access Fee and the one line a retailer can change.

Questions people actually ask about switching

How would I switch energy providers in Alberta?

You sign up with the new retailer and they handle the rest. You need a recent bill (for your site ID and usage), the service address and your account details. Nobody visits your home, no wires are touched and your power does not go off. A switch takes between 10 and 90 calendar days depending on where you sit in your meter-read cycle.

When is the best time of year to switch energy providers in Alberta?

Any time — there is no seasonal penalty and no fee to leave a no-term plan. The timing that matters is your own: switch when your current term is ending or auto-renewing, because that is when retailers roll customers onto a higher renewal rate. The longer answer is in when to switch your Alberta energy provider.

Will my power be shut off when I switch?

No. Switching changes who bills you for the energy commodity. The wires, the meter and the distribution company all stay exactly the same, and there is no interruption of service at any point.

Can I change my mind after signing up?

Yes. Alberta’s consumer protection rules give you ten calendar days to cancel after signing an energy agreement, no reason required.