On June 25, the Calgary Chamber hosted the Hon. Nathan Neudorf, Minister of Affordability and Utilities, for a keynote address and fireside chat with Calgary Chamber Vice-President, Policy and External Affairs, Ruhee-Ismail-Teja.
Minister Neudorf opened his keynote by reflecting on his work in the energy portfolio and the launch of the Restructured Electricity Market (REM). Following high electricity prices in 2023 and widespread shortages in 2024, he noted a shared recognition that structural reform was necessary. While these changes have brought uncertainty for investors, Neudorf emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring stability across retail, transmission and regulatory systems.
He stressed that electricity must no longer be seen as secondary to oil and gas, declaring that energy is a necessity, not a luxury. He outlined Alberta’s vision for the sector, which includes:
- Maintaining a competitive market structure;
- Balancing affordability, reliability and sustainability; and
- Growing the sector through strategic investment
In a fireside chat with Ruhee Ismail-Teja, Vice-President of Policy and External Affairs at the Calgary Chamber, Neudorf addressed key challenges and opportunities. He confirmed the government will uphold strategic pricing under the REM and is working to resolve issues related to congestion and transmission access. He discussed early-stage efforts to develop a large-scale data centre in Alberta. Phase 1, already underway, focuses on collaboration with industry, while Phase 2 will focus on engaging the federal government and framing the data centre as a project of national interest. Although Alberta’s grid isn’t ready for such demand, the province would like to align generation capacity with this demand.
The Minister also discussed the idea of building an East-West power grid and strengthening regional partnerships. Alberta, he said, could become a “lynchpin” in helping jurisdictions like British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon and the Northwest Territories meet rising electricity needs. This would position Alberta to support both local and regional demand, including the United States.
Looking ahead, Neudorf reaffirmed his commitment to protecting Alberta’s energy interests. He voiced optimism about the potential repeal of the federal Clean Electricity Regulations (CER), which he sees as key to unlocking future growth. He also pointed to expansion in hydrogen, nuclear and renewables as vital to boosting capacity.
Neudorf closed by sharing his top investment priority – a natural gas generator with dual supply capability to serve both residential and industrial demands, including the projected data centre.
We extend a special thank you to our presenting sponsor, TransAlta, our thanking sponsor, Capital Power, and our supporting sponsors, ATCO, ENMAX and AltaLink, for making this event possible.
