EDMONTON — Alberta’s New Democrats say the province is to blame for electricity prices that are forecast to spike to record levels this month.
Party leader Brian Mason says a deregulated electrical system has subjected families to volatile price swings that are increasing in cost over time.
Mason says the NDP would re-regulate the system to deliver affordability and cost certainty.
The Alberta Utilities Commission has announced that power consumers can expect to pay over 15 cents per kilowatt hour in January — an all-time record for the monthly rate.
That cost is twice the rate charged last January.
Consumers have the option of locking into long-term contracts for more stable rates, but Mason says that plan includes built-in profit margins for middlemen, making the long-term cost higher than going month-to-month.