Market Snapshot: Of nearly 50 companies that export electricity, three account for more than half of all exports in 2019

Release date: 2020-01-08

Around 50 companies have permits from the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) to export electricity from Canada. Canadian generators, their subsidiaries, and other companies all export electricity to the U.S.^Footnote 1 In 2010, 54 companies sold 44 terawatt-hours (TW.h) of electricity to U.S. markets. In 2019, as of October, nearly 50 companies sold 50 TW.h.^Footnote 2 Figure 1 shows the volumes exported by each company. The largest exporters tend to be provincial crown corporations that also generate electricity, such as Hydro Québec or Manitoba Hydro, or their subsidiaries, such as Powerex Corp. (a subsidiary of BC Hydro).

In general, companies export electricity to the U.S. when prices are higher. The relatively large number of Canadian entities exporting electricity to the U.S. relies on significant integration between Canadian and U.S. electricity markets. Canadian electricity trade with U.S. markets is greater than provincial trade.

Figure 1. Canadian electricity exports to the U.S. by company

Figure 2 breaks down electricity exports to the U.S. by province. Most of Canada’s electricity is exported from provinces with significant hydro and/or nuclear generation capacity. Over 70% of exports are from Quebec and Ontario alone. Electricity trade data, including volumes exported by company and province, are published by the CER in  Commodity Statistics.

Figure 2. Electricity export shares by province (2019)

Date modified:

2023-11-28