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ARTICLE · 10 AUGUST 2023

Alberta Suspends Approvals Of Renewable Energy Projects

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The Government of Alberta has put an immediate hold on the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) approval of hydro developments and power plants that generate more than one megawatt (MW)...

CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Luigi Cusano
Luigi Cusano
Nick Ettinger
Nick Ettinger
Cindy Chen
Cindy Chen
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The Government of Alberta has put an immediate hold on the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) approval of hydro developments and power plants that generate more than one megawatt (MW) of renewable electricity. The approximately seven-month pause, which was announced August 3, is intended to give the government time to study and address gaps in the current regulatory framework around land-use concerns and the end-of-life reclamation of power plant sites, among other things.

What you need to know

  • A longtime leader in Canadian energy production, Alberta has also more recently helped pace the nation's energy transition with a booming market in renewable energy development.
  • Updates to the regulatory framework should provide more clarity on several issues; at the same time, the expectation of changes may bring some uncertainty for projects in the short term.

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