Message for Alberta Students
Are you wondering what is better – paying regulated natural gas and electricity rates versus signing an energy contract with a competitive retailer?An energy contract may or may not save you money compared to paying the regulated rates. Should you decide to sign a contract; however, you need to know your obligations:
- An energy contract is a legal commitment between you and the retailer. It stays in force until the expiry of the contract. In some cases this can be as long as five years. If you are not in a position to make long-term commitments, then look for an energy contract that does not have early exit fees.
- An energy contract is not specific to any one location. If you move, it stays with you. Early exit fees may apply if you move to a new location where you cannot use the energy.
- All retailers require notice to cancel or move a contract. Keep this in mind if you intend to move again at the end of the school term.
If you sign a contract it can take 30 to 90 days for competitive service to begin. This means you will have to initially connect your electricity and natural gas services with the regulated providers before going on a competitive energy contract.
For more information about contracts, please visit our Energy Contracts web page. For more information about regulated rates, please read our Regulated Rates page.
Visit our Energy Providers page for a list of regulated, competitive, rural electrification associations (REAs) and natural gas co-op companies.
