Notice of Application to be filed for approval of the natural gas franchise agreement

Notice of application to be filed for approval of the natural gas distribution franchise agreement between the Town of Whitecourt and ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd.

Application summary

The Alberta Utilities Commission expects to receive an application from ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd. to approve the existing current and valid natural gas distribution franchise agreement with the Town of Whitecourt.  This application for approval is required due to changes made by the Utilities Affordability Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, to various statutes governing franchise agreements.

The current franchise agreement, which took effect in January of 2018, grants ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd. the exclusive right to deliver natural gas to the residents of Whitecourt for approximately ten years.

No changes to the franchise agreement or to the franchise fee rate rider percentage are being made as part of this application.  The franchise fee rate rider percentage will remain at its current rate, which is 33.55%. Including linear taxes, the resulting average monthly franchise fee for an average residential customer will remain the same at approximately $16.37. The franchise fee is calculated based on distribution charges. An average residential customer uses about 105 gigajoules per year.

You may send your concerns about, objections to, or support for the application in writing to the Town of Whitecourt or to ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd. on or before September 11, 2024 at:

Town of Whitecourt
Attn: Judy Barney, Director of Corporate Services
Box 509, 5004 52 Avenue, Whitecourt  AB  T7S 1N6
Phone: 780-778-2273
Email: judybarney@whitecourt.ca

ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd.
Attn: Franchise Agreement Coordinator
5302 Forand Street S.W. Calgary, Alberta, T3E 8B4
Phone: 310-5678 or 1-888-511-7550
Email: franchisecoordinatorgas@atco.com

Any submissions received, unless you request otherwise, will be part of the application submitted and will become part of the public record.

For more information on franchises or to receive a copy of the franchise agreement please contact either the Town of Whitecourt or ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd. at the addresses listed above.

For more information:

For more information about the AUC or its approval process associated with franchise applications, please contact the AUC directly at 310-4AUC or at info@auc.ab.ca.

The Alberta Utilities Commission is an independent, quasi-judicial regulatory body responsible for making decisions about utility-related applications.

Issued on August 22, 2024.

Alberta Utilities Commission