Glossary of Terms
An entity that arranges a market transaction but does not take title to the commodity, the sale of which they are brokering.
Large amounts of electric power to transmission voltages, generally to run industrial plants and operations.
Combining the costs of generation, transmission and distribution and services into a single rate charged to the retail customer.
Mission is to protect and promote competitive markets and enable informed consumer choice in Canada.
The maximum sustainable amount of electric energy that can be carried or delivered in any instant; measured in Watt. A term that can be applied to a transmission system or to a piece of equipment such as a generating unit, electric service or appliance.
For any equipment, the ratio of the average load during a defined time period to the rated capacity.
The regulation governing the relationship between a wire owner and its affiliated retailer and the release and exchange of customer information. The Code seeks to ensure that: retailers and consumers have equal access to regulated services; the wire owner protects the confidentiality of consumer information; retailers have equal access to information disclosed by wire owners; and consumers are dealt with fairly by affiliated retailers.
The simultaneous production of thermal (steam) and electric energy; the electric energy used for industrial plant use and/or sale and the heat for buildings and industrial processes. Cogeneration is a very efficient means of generating electric energy, but its application is limited to situations where there is a requirement for heat (steam load), which usually determines the capacity and location of such a generating unit.
Combination of combustion and steam turbines to generate electric energy from two thermodynamic cycles; exhaust gases from the combustion turbine are directed to a heat recovery steam generator which produces steam to power a steam turbine.
This occurs when the transmission system cannot accommodate all transactions that would normally occur among consumers based on merit order dispatch due to physical or engineering limitations. The physical limitations are determined by the physical capacities of the transmission components. The engineering limitations are expressed through the application of accepted reliability operating criteria.
The consumer in the context of the electricity business is the individual or legal entity that is the end user of electric energy and pays the bill for the cost of producing and delivering the electric energy to the location where electric energy is being consumed by the end user.
The amount of operating reserve sufficient to reduce area control error to zero following loss of generating capacity, which would result from the most severe single contingency all in a manner which adheres to Western Electricity Coordinating Council criteria.
Electricity that is produced at a generating station where the prime movers are driven by gases or steam produced by burning fossil fuels.
Polling of resources, loads and/or joint reservoir management between utilities to allow more efficient operation of existing dams and reservoirs.
The representative elected under paragraph 6.01 of the 1997 Master Agreement between REAs and the integrated utility by the rural electric associations who have entered into similar agreements with the integrated utility.
The flow of electricity in a conductor. Current is measured in amperes.
Funds used for REA capital system upgrades, improvements and rebuilds not paid by the individual members, or as directed by the REA membership as per by-law passed at an annual general or special general meeting. (Also DRA - Deposit Reserve Account or DR - Deposit Reserve)
Current that flows continuously in the same direction (as opposed to alternating current). For example, the current supplied from a battery is a direct current.
An account applied to a cost/revenue not in the control of the utility and which has been approved by the AUC to accumulate the difference between the forecast and the actual cost/revenue. The refund or collection of a deferral account is through a rate rider which has been approved by the AUC.
The conversion of a regulated generation market to a competitive unregulated generation and retail market.
Term used to describe an electric distribution system wire owner.
A generating unit that is interconnected with an electric distribution system.
This is a Direct Energy Partnership brand. Direct Energy Partnership is the competitive retailer of Direct Energy Marketing Limited in Alberta. Direct Energy Partnership serves residential and small commercial businesses.
This is the regulated business unit of Direct Energy Marketing Limited and has been in Alberta since 1985 as a Producer-owned, wholesale gas marketing company. In 1990, it was purchased by UK-based Centrica, a world leader in deregulated energy markets with over 44 million customer relationships world-wide.
A direction from the AESO to a pool participant to cause, permit or alter the exchange of electric energy or ancillary services.
