The AUC will gather input from stakeholders through written and oral submissions and a survey
The Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) has announced further details as to how they will conduct an inquiry into the development of electricity generation in Alberta, including renewable energy projects. Stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide input through completion of a survey, submitting written input, and participating in in-person engagement sessions. While exact engagement dates are not yet available, the AUC provided the following timeframe:
Process Step | Timeframe |
AUC notice with additional updates/participant information | Mid-September |
Oral submissions (in-person) | Late October to mid-November |
Written submissions | Mid to late November |
Reply submissions | Early December |
Oral hearing | Mid December |
Deadline to submit report to the Minister of Affordability and Utilities | March 29, 2024 |
The inquiry, announced in early August, will review the following:
- The use of agricultural land and public land for wind and solar projects and land reclamation.
- The role of municipal governments in land selection for project development and review.
- Development of power plants on specific types or classes of agricultural and environmental land.
- The impact of power plant development on Alberta’s pristine viewscapes.
- Mandatory reclamation security requirements for power plants.
- Development of power plans on lands held by the Crown.
- The impact of the increasing growth of renewables on Alberta’s generation supply mix and electricity system reliability.
For more information on the engagement process, refer to AUC Bulletin 2023-06. The RMA will share more details when they are released by the AUC.
The RMA has been advocating for changes in regulation and approval processes with the AUC and initiated several projects related to the approval processes currently in place. The RMA currently has a member committee on quasi-judicial agencies that is gathering information on the experiences of members in interacting with quasi-judicial agencies such as the AUC in relation to project approvals. The RMA is also working with Brownlee LLP to develop a formal set of recommendations based on current legislation and is actively working on several resolutions including resolution 21-22F: Loss of Agricultural Land to Renewable Energy Projects and resolution 9-22F: Renewable Energy Project Reclamation Requirements.
Wyatt Skovron
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@RMAlberta.com