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Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Saint John, New Brunswick – The Atlantica Centre for Energy is supporting the newly released report, An Atlantic Canadian Energy Future, developed for the Atlantic Energy Collective, a pan-Atlantic initiative representing more than 30 organizations across utilities, Indigenous partners, industry, labour, research institutions, and national energy policy organizations.
The report presents a practical framework for advancing durable regional energy collaboration to address mounting pressures on Atlantic Canada’s electricity and natural gas systems, including reliability risks, affordability challenges, infrastructure renewal requirements, and constraints on economic growth.
While the Atlantic provinces are physically interconnected, planning and investment decisions are largely made on a province-by-province basis. The report concludes that these fragmented approaches are no longer sufficient to manage the system risk, scale of capital investment, and economic opportunity facing the region.
“Affordable, dependable energy is essential to our quality of life and our economic future,” said Michelle Robichaud, President of the Atlantica Centre for Energy. “We fully support taking the next step to better understand where coordination can lower long-term costs and improve reliability.”
Key recommendations
The report outlines a sequenced framework for collaboration, beginning with:
- Creating a regional all-energy model and integrated resource plan (IRP);
- Assessing electric and natural gas interconnections regionally to identify shared risks, cost efficiencies, and economic opportunities;
- Testing governance options based on required system functions rather than predetermined institutional models; and,
- Phasing implementation, with clear decision points before advancing to more formal arrangements.
The approach does not call for any immediate structural changes. Instead, it focuses first on shared technical and economic analysis to build trust, reduce duplication, and demonstrate tangible value across provinces.
Why this matters now
The report identifies a layer of catalysts which make regional energy coordination more urgent than ever, including:
- Rising affordability pressures and increasing energy burden for households and businesses;
- Declining system capacity margins and growing reliability risks;
- Limited energy capacity to support industrial growth;
- Major infrastructure renewal decisions (including generation and transmission); and,
- Increasing federal expectations that regional alignment is necessary to enable large-scale investments.
Without structural change, the report warns that Atlantic Canada risks continued duplication of infrastructure, higher system costs, and missed economic opportunities.
Read the report: An Atlantic Canadian Energy Future (PDF – 758kb)
About the Atlantic Energy Collective
The Atlantic Energy Collective is a region-wide initiative of more than 30 organizations representing industry, Indigenous partners and Rightsholders, utilities, researchers, labour interests, and national policy organizations. The Collective was formed in recognition that Atlantic Canada’s current energy framework cannot respond at the scale and pace required to sustain affordability, reliability, and economic growth.
The Collective’s work is intended as a cross-sector foundation to support informed intergovernmental discussions and durable regional action.
About Atlantica Centre for Energy
Atlantica Centre for Energy provides a unique meeting ground for industry, government, the education and research sectors, and the community at large to foster partnerships and proactively engage in energy-related issues. As the voice for energy in the region, the Centre’s membership represents some of the largest employers, energy producers, distributors, and consumers in the region.
About Crux Energy Consulting
Crux Energy Consulting is a Canadian advisory firm focused on strategy for the energy and utility sector. The firm works with clients to navigate complex market, customer, policy, and competitive dynamics and make informed decisions in a rapidly evolving industry.
Media Contact:
Michelle Robichaud, President
Atlantica Centre for Energy
[email protected]
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