Department of Natural Resources
News Release

print this article email to a Friend

click here to close this window and return to the Media Room

Released: 23 December, 2002

Release Of North America Â- Regulation Of International Electricity Trade

OTTAWA — Natural Resources Canada Minister Herb Dhaliwal, Mexican Energy Secretary Ernesto Martens and U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham today released the report North America — Regulation of International Electricity Trade. This is the third report of the North American Energy Working Group, a group of senior energy officials from Canada, the United States and Mexico.

“Our countries are interested in maintaining efficient electricity markets, and in supporting a reliable electricity grid that functions well across our boundaries,” said Minister Dhaliwal. “By publishing this report, the North American Energy Working Group hopes to make it easier for companies to follow the regulatory requirements of each country.”

The report issued today, North America — Regulation of International Electricity Trade, is an overview of federal regulations in Canada, Mexico and the United States with respect to the authorization of the construction and operation of international power lines, and the authorization of electricity exports and imports. It will serve as an important reference document and guide for participants in international electricity trade. The document reflects the regulatory framework as of December 2002.

At the Summit of the Americas held in Québec in April 2001, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Mexican President Vicente Fox and U.S. President George W. Bush committed to expanding energy trade among the three nations and strengthening the energy market in North America. Building on this commitment, the Minister of Natural Resources Canada, the Mexican Secretary of Energy and the U.S. Secretary of Energy agreed to establish the North American Energy Working Group (NAEWG).

NAEWG released its first report entitled North America — The Energy Picture in June 2002. The report presented a range of energy information for the three countries, including an economic overview, energy data, supply and demand trends, energy projections and descriptions of infrastructure, laws and regulations. The Group released a second report earlier this month, North American Energy Efficiency Standards and Labeling, which describes why standards and labelling programs are effective instruments in meeting energy-efficiency goals, explains the different processes and institutional contexts for these programs in each country, and identifies where commonalities and differences exist.

All three countries agree that this third report represents another step in fulfilling the goals of the North American Energy Working Group — to foster communication and cooperation among the three countries on energy-related matters of common interest, and to enhance North American energy trade and interconnections, consistent with the goal of sustainable development, while respecting the domestic policies, divisions of jurisdictional authority and existing trade obligations of each country.

In addition to releasing the three reports, the Working Group is examining a broad range of issues, including energy science and technology, natural gas trade and interconnections, and critical infrastructure protection.

North America — Regulation of International Electricity Trade is available at www.nrcan.gc.ca/es/RegElectricity/index_e.html.

For more information, media may contact: