EDMONTON – ATCO has announced a new electricity and natural gas retail component to its company.
ATCO Energy promises lower costs for homes and businesses and bills itself as a “positive energy company” that rewards customers for their loyalty.
Customers can opt to have 25 per cent or 100 per cent of their electricity plan come from renewable sources for a premium, based on consumption in kilowatt hours.
“People are using less electricity moving forward,” Steven Landry, ATCO senior vice president, said. “Devices, televisions use less electricity today. We want to be aligned with and support using less electricity in the future.”
To thank customers for their loyalty, the company said it will offer a $50 credit each year on the anniversary of their sign-up. The company is also offering a number of sign-up incentives. New customers will receive a credit on their first bill based on the type and term of the electricity or natural gas plan they choose.
ATCO CEO Nancy Southern said the company will continue to generate wholesale electricity and industrial electricity for large-scale customers in the oilsands and refineries.
“When de-regulation first occurred, we didn’t feel that we had the skills to be a quality, top-notch retailer,” Southern said Wednesday.
“We had been an industrial, business-to-business company. So we chose to allow Direct Energy to take over our customer list from ATCO Gas and as a result, we had a 10-year non-compete. So we have been exploring and imagining what it is we could do that would bring a new sense of excitement,” she said.
ATCO employs nearly 8,000 people and has assets totalling about $19 billion dollars.