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    About the AESO

    Our purpose: Providing leadership to power Alberta today and into the future

    The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) is committed to playing a leadership role in enabling the transformation of the province's electricity sector while ensuring reliable, affordable power is always available to Albertans.​

    Keeping the grid safe and reliable

    The AESO manages and operates the provincial power grid.

    We're a not-for-profit organization with no financial investment in the industry. On behalf of Albertans, we work with industry partners and the government to make sure reliable power is there when you need it. Whatever changes happen in the world, you can rely on us to manage the electricity markets and meet your energy needs – now and in the future.

    What do we do?

    • Manage and plan the grid 24 hours a day

      We work with industry partners to keep electricity flowing throughout the province. Our System Controllers balance supply and demand 24/7, 365 days a year, to ensure four million Albertans have power when they need it.

    • Plan and operate the market

      In Alberta, companies own generation, transmission and distribution facilities. We dispatch the power sold by generators, using the lowest-priced electricity first and then the next lowest until the need for power has been satisfied. This is the basis of Alberta's competitive electricity market, and it's worked well for over 20 years. 

    • Plan the future of the system and its infrastructure

      As Alberta grows, so does its need for electricity. We plan ahead and expand the grid, ensuring the right transmission lines are built as efficiently as possible. As the province moves away from coal-fired power plants, we're enabling investment in renewable energy. In everything we do, our eye is always on the future.

    • Connect customers to the grid

      We ensure generators and large power consumers can connect to the transmission system in a safe and reliable manner.  Fair, efficient and open transmission system access is facilitated through the AESO’s Connection Process and transmission tariff.

    Industry agencies

    To serve Albertans better, we've built strong relationships with agencies within Canada and the United States. Through our Interjurisdictional Affairs and Compliance group, we're part of a network of organizations focused on making energy safer and more reliable for everybody.

    For more information, contact AESO's Interjurisdictional Affairs at stakeholder.relations@aeso.ca

    Fact sheets

    About the AESO