ATCO Electric

ATCO Electric is a founding member of the North American Off-Grid Utility Association (NAOGUA). We are an integrated generation and distribution company that operates and maintains electricity infrastructure, including isolated generating units, to serve remote and off-grid communities. We are committed to transitioning these communities toward cleaner energy sources, with a focus on our "Off Diesel" program.

Service Territory

ATCO Electric serves north and east-central Alberta, covering a significant portion of the province. Within this territory, we manage isolated generation in remote communities that aren't connected to the main provincial grid. The unique challenges of these remote locations often involve complex logistics for transporting staff, fuel, and equipment.

Generation

Due to the lack of grid connection, we generate electricity within each isolated community. While traditional diesel generation has historically been a primary source, we are actively implementing renewable hybrid solutions to reduce diesel consumption and environmental impact.

Our key isolated generation projects include:

Fort Chipewyan Solar Project: Located in a remote northern Alberta community without year-round road access, this project is fully operational. It comprises two phases: a 600-kW solar farm (owned and operated by ATCO) and a 2,200-kW solar farm (owned by Three Nations Energy, designed and built by ATCO). The project includes a 1.7 MWh (1675 kWh) battery energy storage system. This system is projected to lead to an annual reduction of about 800,000 litres of diesel and over 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, supplying approximately 25% of the community's annual electricity.

Peace Point Renewable Hybrid Cycle Charge Plant: In 2021, we completed converting the diesel plant at Peace Point to a Renewable Hybrid Cycle Charge plant. This conversion has resulted in a reduction of over 50% of the plant's diesel consumption.

Indian Cabins and Steen River Renewable Hybrid Conversions: ATCO Electric is currently working to convert the diesel plants at Indian Cabins and Steen River to Renewable Hybrid Cycle Charge plants. These projects are slated for completion in 2026 and are expected to reduce diesel consumption by more than 50% at each plant.

These initiatives demonstrate our commitment to evolving generation methods to enhance sustainability and reliability for our isolated communities.