The Balancing Pool supports the functioning of the electricity industry for the benefit of Albertans.

Balancing Pool Office Closure

In light of developments related to COVID-19, the Balancing Pool’s office will remain physically closed and staff will continue working remotely. As a further precaution, no Balancing Pool staff members will be attending meetings in-person. All staff members are available remotely and business continues as normal as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call (403) 539-5354 to leave a message and your call will be returned as soon as possible.

Our Legislated Duties

The Balancing Pool supports a fair, efficient and openly competitive electricity market in Alberta by performing the legislated duties and responsibilities set out in the following statutes and regulations:

 

The Balancing Pool’s legislated duties include or included the following:

  • Act as a risk backstop for the PPAs in relation to extraordinary events;
  • Act as a buyer for the PPAs that were not sold in public auction held by the Government of Alberta in 2000, or that were subsequently terminated by third party Buyers;
  • Manage the PPAs held by the Balancing Pool in a commercial manner, and/or terminate them with the Owners if appropriate:
  • Allocate (or collect) any forecasted cash surplus (or deficit) to (from) electricity consumers in Alberta in annual amounts;
  • Manage the financial accounts arising from the transition to a competitive generation market on behal of consumers;
  • Fund the decommissioning and reclamation costs associated with certain generation facilities in Alberta;
  • Hold the Hydro PPA and manage the associated stream of receipts or payments;
  • Participate in regulatory and dispute resolution processes;
  • Act as the default market participant and provide settlement functions in relation to certain projects developed under the Small Scale Generation Regulation;
  • Administer and provide financing for certain aspects of the Utility Payment Deferral Program; and
  • Fund initiatives in the electricity industry at the direction of the Minister of Energy.
Mandate & Roles

The Balancing Pool’s Mandate and Roles Document was developed collaboratively between the Minister of Energy and the Balancing Pool. It is intended to satisfy the requirements of the Alberta Public Agencies Governance Act (APAGA) and reflects a common understanding of the authority, respective roles and responsibilities of the parties.