Alberta · Oct 2026 – Sep 2027
Electricity Bill Estimator
See where your power goes: lights, laundry, the block heater, the hot tub. Then see what each month's bill should look like with your area's real 2026 delivery charges.
Monthly bill
Monthly kWh by use
Where your power goes
| Month | kWh | Est. bill |
|---|
Why Alberta power bills look the way they do
Your bill has two halves. Energy is the electricity itself, and it's the only part a retailer competes on. Delivery covers the poles and wires, and it's set by regulators for your area no matter who you buy from. In ATCO Electric territory, which includes Grande Prairie and Fort McMurray, delivery is often more than the energy. The UCA reports 2025 distribution of $97.89/month at 600 kWh in ATCO's area, compared with $31.55 in EPCOR's Edmonton area.
The Rate of Last Resort replaced the old Regulated Rate Option on January 1, 2025. It's fixed at 12.01–12.06¢/kWh until December 31, 2026, depending on your area. In 2027 it can move by up to 10%. Competitive fixed rates have recently been well below that. Switching can lower the energy half, but it never changes delivery.
Winter matters for power too. Long nights mean more lighting, the furnace fan runs for hours, and block heaters, hot tubs and EVs all use more in the cold.
How we calculate this
Monthly kWh = Σ appliance estimates (scaled by people, home size, darkness or cold)
Bill = kWh × energy rate + admin + (fixed delivery + kWh × variable delivery) × (1 + local fee %) + kWh × local fee ¢, then + GST
- Rates are 2026 tariffs from each wires company and default-rate provider (see Sources). Some small riders aren't included.
- Appliance figures are assumptions (typical values, editable in code), calibrated so a typical 4-person, 1,800 sq ft home with gas heat lands near the UCA's typical ~600 kWh a month:
- Always-on and everyday loads (fridge, electronics, washer): 1,200 + 300 per person kWh a year.
- Lighting: 500 / 900 / 1,600 kWh a year per 1,800 sq ft for LED / mixed / older bulbs, spread by hours of darkness.
- Dryer: 2.5 kWh a load, 1.5 loads per person per week.
- Range: 400 + 75 per person kWh a year.
- Dishwasher: 1.2 kWh a load, 5 loads a week.
- Extra fridge or freezer: 400 kWh a year each.
- Hot tub: about 90 kWh a month plus 0.25 kWh per heating degree-day.
- EV: 0.18 kWh/km, up to 40% more in the coldest month.
- Block heater: 500 W for the hours selected, with days spread by Environment Canada's below-0°C degree-days.
- Furnace fan: 6 kWh per GJ of gas burned.
- Electric water heater: 1,000 + 700 per person kWh a year.
- A/C: cooling degree-days × home heat-loss rate ÷ COP 3, × 3 for sun and indoor gains.
- Electric heat reuses the heating estimator's degree-day model.
Compare providers for your usage
See every Alberta retailer plan with a published price, ranked by what it would cost for the usage on this page. Delivery charges are the same whoever you buy from. Neutral, no sponsored placements.
Compare providers for your usage →What to do next
Compare fixed electricity plans
Lock in an energy rate below the Rate of Last Resort. Check the UCA's free Cost Comparison Tool first. [Partner link: retailer comparison]
Compare plans →Block heater timer
A timer runs the block heater only for the hours before you leave. Switch the calculator between "timer" and "overnight" to see your own difference. [Partner link: outdoor block-heater timer]
See timers →Smart plugs & energy monitor
See exactly what your freezer, hot tub or EV charger draws. [Partner link: whole-home energy monitor]
See monitors →Sources
This is an estimate, not a quote. Real bills depend on your actual appliances and habits, the weather, meter-read dates, your retailer and contract, and riders that change during the year. Delivery figures are the 2026 base tariffs plus the riders listed. Some riders and fees aren't included. Fortis-area municipal fees vary by town. Retailer names are for reference only, not endorsements. Check your own bill and the Utilities Consumer Advocate (ucahelps.alberta.ca). NorthNumbers isn't affiliated with any utility or retailer.