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By Nathan Neudorf

Letter To The Editor

Rural Electrification Associations strengthen Alberta’s rural utilities

Dec 5, 2024 | 4:01 PM

“Anyone who has experienced winter in Alberta knows just how important it is to have reliable power and heat every time you reach for the switch or the thermostat. For those living in the rural parts of this province, where energy options can be limited and the distance between neighbours vast, the stakes feel even higher.

“For over 75 years, Rural Electrification Associations (REAs) have been a crucial link in the electrical chain for many of Alberta’s rural communities. REAs are jointly-owned, not-for-profit cooperative associations that provide power distribution and retail services to their members. Born out of necessity in the late 1940s, grassroots movements of farmers and ranchers established these local power distribution co-ops to address their rural communities’ growing need for affordable and reliable electricity.

“Alberta’s government is modernizing our province’s electricity system to meet the energy needs of the future, and supporting REAs is crucial to this work. We’ve recently made changes to the Rural Utilities Regulation to support Alberta’s rural electricity distribution system by enabling REAs to seek offers from and purchase other REAs. This will not only increase competition but will also help strengthen and ultimately sustain the cooperative model of electricity distribution that rural Albertans depend on.

“Through the Rural Utilities Program, the province helps rural communities access essential services like gas, power and water at a reasonable cost, while helping grow their local economy. Last year alone, our government provided almost $7 million in grant funding to help offset the cost of constructing new rural utilities infrastructure.

“Rural Utility Associations – including REAs, rural gas co-ops, and rural water co-ops – are vital to Alberta’s continued economic prosperity by providing access to essential utilities services. But to the communities they serve, their value goes far beyond that.

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“Rural utility co-ops serve thousands of homes, farms and community groups throughout our province. Their work means that Albertans can keep their lights on and homes warm, community groups can continue helping their neighbours thrive, and our agricultural industry can keep putting food on tables around the world. REAs were built by Albertans working together for the greater good of the community, and it’s this same purpose that makes them so important to our province’s future. That’s why Alberta’s government is committed to supporting rural utility co-ops, whether that’s through our grant programs or cutting unnecessary red tape.”

Nathan Neudorf is Alberta’s Minister of Affordability and Utilities

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The views expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of rdnewsNOW or Pattison Media. Column suggestions and letters to the editor can be sent to news@rdnewsNOW.com.