A credit or minus sign means you paid ahead or got money back. It goes on your next bill unless you request a refund above the company’s threshold. A catch-up bill usually follows estimates or budget billing. Call your retailer first, then the UCA if the issue remains.
Why does my bill show a credit or a negative balance?
A bill can show a credit or negative balance when you have paid more than you owe. EPCOR says credits go toward future bills unless you ask for a refund. A budget surplus, a returned deposit or a rebate credit can also lower the balance. Check which line changed.
A credit is money on the account. A refund is money sent back to you. Compare the amount due with the credit line before you change any payment.
For past government credits, see our energy rebate history.
How do I get a credit refunded?
To get a credit refunded, ask your retailer to return the money on your account. ENMAX and EPCOR set out refund rules in their default electricity terms. Direct Energy Regulated Services’ filed terms also set a threshold. Check the table for your provider and whether your account is still open.
These rules apply only to each named provider’s default electricity customers. They do not cover every gas account or competitive plan. For competitive plans, check your contract.
| Provider | Active account | Closed account |
|---|---|---|
| ENMAX | Request a refund when the credit is more than $100. Otherwise it goes toward future charges. (read 30 October 2026) [source] | Refunds credits of $10 or more. Request a smaller credit within 12 months of closing or disconnection. (read 30 October 2026) [source] |
| EPCOR | No minimum stated. Credit goes toward future bills unless you request a refund. (read 30 October 2026) [source] | Refund cheque for a credit of $5 or more after all amounts due are paid. (read 30 October 2026) [source] |
| Direct Energy Regulated Services | Request a refund if the credit is at least $200. Otherwise it goes toward future bills. (read 30 October 2026) [source] | No separate closing-credit threshold stated in the filed closing-account or overpayment clauses. Ask DERS how it will return the final credit. (read 30 October 2026) [source] |
Ask how the refund will arrive and when to follow up. Keep the request and the final bill. A closing credit is refunded by the old retailer. Payments and credits cannot transfer between retailers. (read 30 October 2026) [source]
When do I get my security deposit back?
You get your security deposit back under your provider’s payment history and account closure rules. ENMAX and EPCOR allow a return after a period of good payments. Direct Energy Regulated Services’ filed terms tie the return to account closure too. The rules below cover default electricity accounts only.
- ENMAX: Credited after 12 consecutive months of satisfactory payment history. On closure or disconnection it pays outstanding charges; it may go to another default electricity account. (read 30 October 2026) [source]
- EPCOR: Returned or credited after 12 consecutive months of satisfactory credit history. On closure it pays any outstanding balance. (read 30 October 2026) [source]
- Direct Energy Regulated Services: After 12 consecutive months of satisfactory payment history or when the account is no longer active, whichever is later. Any DERS balance owing is paid first. (read 30 October 2026) [source]
ENMAX’s deposit cap: No more than 30 per cent of the estimated annual total bill for the site. (read 30 October 2026) [source]
A deposit may pay a balance you still owe before money comes back to you. See security deposits and credit checks for the wider picture.
Why did I get a big catch-up bill?
A big catch-up bill can arrive when actual readings replace estimates, or when a budget plan is settled. The UCA lists both as reasons a final bill may change. Compare the dates, meter readings and payments with earlier bills. Ask your retailer to show how it worked out the balance.
A final bill may differ due to budget payment plan catch-up or actual readings replacing estimates. (read 30 October 2026) [source] A budget account carries a balance in colder months that is paid off in warmer months. An extra payment may not replace the next scheduled payment. (read 30 October 2026) [source]
Our meter readings and budget billing guide explains estimates and equal payments. For other causes, use the high utility bill checklist.
The period depends on the distributor and type of error. Ask your retailer and the UCA which clause applies to your bill.
FortisAlberta’s billing-error rules: Billing-error undercharges cover affected periods up to 11 months before the month the error was found. Overcharges cover up to 8 years before that month. These rules cover both default and other retailers. If a meter error makes the period unclear, section 9.11 applies instead. (read 30 October 2026) [source]
Its faulty-meter rules differ: For incorrect or inaccurate metering, section 9.11(b) states up to 3 months unless a specific reported cause has a known date. Section 9.11 also allows the lesser of the error period or one year for its listed faulty-meter cases, unless public authority, law or regulation requires otherwise. Unauthorized use has separate rules. (read 30 October 2026) [source]
ATCO Gas has a specific meter-test rule: If a test finds the meter outside accuracy standards and the error start is unknown, the start is deemed 3 months before the test or the meter installation date, whichever is later. (read 30 October 2026) [source]
A separate dispute rule says: A written billing dispute covers bills rendered in the 2 years before written notice of the dispute. (read 30 October 2026) [source] Neither period is a general limit for all catch-up bills.
What if I was billed twice or a payment went missing?
If you were billed twice or a payment went missing, contact your provider at once and keep proof of payment. The UCA describes cases where duplicate bills and a missing payment were fixed. Match the service address and billed dates. Ask for a written account correction and a refund where due.
In the UCA’s double billing case, a home received bills from both a competitive retailer and a default provider. The UCA helped stop the duplicate bills and secure a refund for the wrong charges.
In another UCA case, a paid invoice was treated as unpaid, late fees were added and a collection agency called. The UCA helped the company find and apply the missing payment.
Keep bank records, payment dates, account numbers and replies together. Ask the company to trace the payment and explain any fees. Do not assume a second bill covers the same fuel or dates until you check.
Who can help if the company will not fix it?
The UCA can help if the company will not fix a billing error after you have raised it. The UCA’s mediation page says to contact the utility provider first. Keep the bills, proof of payment and replies. Explain which line is wrong and what you asked the company to change.
Contact the utility provider immediately about a possible billing error. If it is not resolved, contact the UCA for help. (read 30 October 2026) [source] Follow our energy complaints guide to prepare your next steps.
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Questions people ask
What does a negative amount on my energy bill mean?
A negative amount on your energy bill means a credit, which lowers what you owe. EPCOR says a credit goes toward future bills unless you ask for a refund. Check the credit line and the amount due before you change a planned payment.
Does my credit move with me if I switch retailers?
Your credit does not move with you if you switch retailers, the UCA says. The old company refunds a closing credit rather than sending it to the new company. Keep your final bill and give a forwarding address so the refund can reach you.
Do I earn interest on a credit balance?
You earn no interest on a credit balance under Direct Energy Regulated Services’ filed terms. The AUC hosts these terms for default electricity accounts. Check your contract for other plans. Ask for your money back if you do not want to leave a large credit on the account.
Can a billing mistake be sent to collections?
A billing mistake can be sent to collections, as a UCA case shows. A paid bill was marked unpaid, and fees and a collection call followed. The UCA helped find the missing payment. Keep bank records and ask the company to correct the account in writing.
Sources
Written by the BillRobin team. Updated .
Show the 8 sources
- AUC: Direct Energy Regulated Services filed terms
- AUC: ENMAX default electricity terms
- AUC: EPCOR default electricity terms
- ATCO Gas: Customer terms, sections 9.3 and 10.6
- FortisAlberta: Customer terms, sections 9.11 and 11.8
- UCA: How to switch energy retailers
- UCA: Mediation
- UCA: Outstanding balance mistake
https://billrobin.com/ca/en/alberta/energy/bill-corrections-and-credits?utm_medium=share&utm_source=page
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