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Canada: Alberta energy price-fixing ‘miniscule,’ says operator

By  |  August 21, 2013

Alberta Electric System called the price-fixing discovered by the Alberta Market Surveillance Administrator “miniscule” in the long run, say reports, following findings of price inflation by the Alberta, Canada watchdog. The MSA found that energy companies in Alberta manipulated the wholesale market in 10 different instances since 2011 in a recent report. At the center of the controversy is Alberta’s energy watchdog’s hourly Historical Trading Report, which details pricing information of each company’s market prices and is published by the Alberta Electric System Operator. According to the MSA, the report “provides information on the competitive intentions” of each company, allowing firms to manipulate wholesale prices, and that it can be used as a tool to fix prices. Prices were hundreds of dollars higher than they would have been without the report in several instances in the last few years, said the MSA.

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