Left on for ten hours overnight, a block heater uses about five times the electricity of the same heater on a two-hour timer. For a 1,000-watt heater in Calgary, that is about $2.03 overnight versus about $0.41 on a timer. For a 1,000-watt heater in Edmonton, that is about $2.04 overnight versus about $0.41 on a timer. Natural Resources Canada says: Switch the block heater on two hours before driving. Usually this is all the time needed to warm the coolant and engine. (read 21 October 2026) [source]
What does a night cost in my town?
Match your heater’s rating to a column. These are inputs. They are not claims about a typical heater. The examples assume a constant draw at the rated watts. A thermostat may change actual use.
| Town | a 500-watt heater. Timer: 2 hours. One night. | a 500-watt heater. Overnight: 10 hours. One night. | a 1,000-watt heater. Timer: 2 hours. One night. | a 1,000-watt heater. Overnight: 10 hours. One night. | a 500-watt heater. Timer: 2 hours. a month of workday mornings (22 days). | a 500-watt heater. Overnight: 10 hours. a month of workday mornings (22 days). | a 1,000-watt heater. Timer: 2 hours. a month of workday mornings (22 days). | a 1,000-watt heater. Overnight: 10 hours. a month of workday mornings (22 days). |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary | about 20.3 cents | about $1.02 | about $0.41 | about $2.03 | about $4.47 | about $22.33 | about $8.93 | about $44.66 |
| Edmonton | about 20.4 cents | about $1.02 | about $0.41 | about $2.04 | about $4.49 | about $22.44 | about $8.98 | about $44.88 |
| Airdrie | about 22.4 cents | about $1.12 | about $0.45 | about $2.24 | about $4.93 | about $24.64 | about $9.86 | about $49.28 |
| Beaumont | about 22.2 cents | about $1.11 | about $0.44 | about $2.22 | about $4.88 | about $24.42 | about $9.77 | about $48.84 |
| Cochrane | about 22.1 cents | about $1.11 | about $0.44 | about $2.21 | about $4.86 | about $24.31 | about $9.72 | about $48.62 |
| Fort Saskatchewan | about 20.8 cents | about $1.04 | about $0.42 | about $2.08 | about $4.58 | about $22.88 | about $9.15 | about $45.76 |
| Grande Prairie | about 28.9 cents | about $1.45 | about $0.58 | about $2.89 | about $6.36 | about $31.79 | about $12.72 | about $63.58 |
| Leduc | about 22.2 cents | about $1.11 | about $0.44 | about $2.22 | about $4.88 | about $24.42 | about $9.77 | about $48.84 |
| Okotoks | about 22.4 cents | about $1.12 | about $0.45 | about $2.24 | about $4.93 | about $24.64 | about $9.86 | about $49.28 |
| Sherwood Park | about 20.8 cents | about $1.04 | about $0.42 | about $2.08 | about $4.58 | about $22.88 | about $9.15 | about $45.76 |
| Spruce Grove | about 22.4 cents | about $1.12 | about $0.45 | about $2.24 | about $4.93 | about $24.64 | about $9.86 | about $49.28 |
| St. Albert | about 22.0 cents | about $1.10 | about $0.44 | about $2.20 | about $4.84 | about $24.20 | about $9.68 | about $48.40 |
| Stony Plain | about 22.4 cents | about $1.12 | about $0.45 | about $2.24 | about $4.93 | about $24.64 | about $9.86 | about $49.28 |
Worked out on the default electricity rate and today’s delivery charges and town fees, with GST. Your plan’s energy price will differ.
Tariffs in force on . Rounded estimates of extra use; daily charges are already on the bill.
The charges behind these numbers
- Rate of Last Resort, ENMAX Energy: 12.06¢ per kWh (1 January 2025 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Rate of Last Resort, ENMAX Energy administration charge: C$0.4134 per day (from 1 January 2025) [source]
- Balancing pool rider: 0.1290¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Fixed delivery charge: C$0.769463 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Variable delivery charge: 1.5477¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Quarterly transmission adjustment rider: 0.0583¢ per kWh (1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Transmission charge deferral rider: 0.0483¢ per kWh (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Transmission charge: 3.8996¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Local access fee in Calgary (approved for 2025 and 2026): 1.5507¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2025) [source]
- Rate of Last Resort, EPCOR Energy Alberta: 12.01¢ per kWh (1 January 2025 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Rate of Last Resort, EPCOR Energy Alberta administration charge: C$0.230 per day (from 1 July 2026) [source]
- Fixed delivery charge: C$0.72856 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Variable delivery charge: 1.783¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Balancing pool rider: 0.130¢ per kWh (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Transmission true-up rider (Rider J): -0.016¢ per kWh (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Transmission deferral rider (Rider K): 0.103¢ per kWh (from 1 October 2026) [source]
- Transmission charge: 4.050¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Local access fee, Edmonton: 1.388¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Rate of Last Resort, EPCOR Energy Alberta administration charge: C$0.260 per day (from 1 July 2026) [source]
- Balancing pool rider: 0.1198¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Base Transmission Adjustment Rider: -0.59% (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Fixed delivery charge: C$1.034442 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Variable delivery charge: 3.3477¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Quarterly transmission adjustment rider: 0.0155¢ per kWh (1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Transmission charge: 4.2560¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Municipal franchise fee, Airdrie: 20% (from 1 April 2021) [source]
- Municipal assessment rider, Airdrie: 1.04% (from 1 July 2026) [source]
- Municipal franchise fee, Beaumont: 17.25% (from 1 January 2020) [source]
- Municipal assessment rider, Beaumont: 1.29% (from 1 July 2026) [source]
- Municipal franchise fee, Cochrane: 17% (from 1 January 2020) [source]
- Municipal assessment rider, Cochrane: 1.03% (from 1 July 2026) [source]
- Municipal franchise fee, Fort Saskatchewan: 0% (from 1 October 2013) [source]
- Municipal assessment rider, Fort Saskatchewan: 0.86% (from 1 July 2026) [source]
- Rate of Last Resort, Direct Energy Regulated Services: 12.02¢ per kWh (1 January 2025 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Rate of Last Resort, Direct Energy Regulated Services administration charge: C$0.558 per day (1 July 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Fixed delivery charge: C$1.4125 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Variable delivery charge: 9.03¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Balancing pool rider (Rider B): 0.133¢ per kWh (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Temporary adjustment rider (Rider G): -0.212¢ per kWh (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Transmission deferral rider (Rider S): 0.068¢ per kWh (1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source]
- Fixed service charge: C$0.2698 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Transmission charge: 4.79¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Municipal assessment rider (Rider A), Grande Prairie: 12.26% (from 1 April 2026) [source]
- Municipal franchise fee, Leduc: 18% (from 1 May 2026) [source]
- Municipal assessment rider, Leduc: 1.03% (from 1 July 2026) [source]
- Municipal franchise fee, Okotoks: 20% (from 1 January 2021) [source]
- Municipal assessment rider, Okotoks: 0.92% (from 1 July 2026) [source]
- Municipal franchise fee, Strathcona County (Sherwood Park): 0% (from 1 January 2026) [source]
- Municipal assessment rider, Strathcona County (Sherwood Park): 0.85% (from 1 July 2026) [source]
- Municipal franchise fee, Spruce Grove: 20% (from 1 January 2016) [source]
- Municipal assessment rider, Spruce Grove: 1.36% (from 1 July 2026) [source]
- Municipal franchise fee, St. Albert: 15% (from 1 January 2023) [source]
- Municipal assessment rider, St. Albert: 1.52% (from 1 July 2026) [source]
- Municipal franchise fee, Stony Plain: 20% (from 1 January 2013) [source]
- Municipal assessment rider, Stony Plain: 1.32% (from 1 July 2026) [source]
The month columns cover workday mornings. They do not cover every night of a calendar month. Daily charges are already on your bill. The table prices only extra use.
How do I find my heater’s watts?
Check the cord tag for watts. You can also look in the vehicle or heater manual. Check that the rating describes the heater itself. An extension cord or timer has its own limits. Do not use those as the heater rating. If you cannot find it, ask your vehicle service provider.
ATCO explains the method: Divide watts by 1,000, then multiply by operating hours to get kWh. A five-watt clock running for 24 hours uses 0.12 kWh. (read 21 October 2026) [source]
For illustration
A 500-watt heater running for two hours uses 500 ÷ 1,000 × 2 = 1 kWh. For ten hours, it uses 5 kWh. Across 22 workday mornings, those examples use 22 kWh and 110 kWh. These are worked inputs, not measured use for your car.
How long should I plug it in?
Natural Resources Canada says: Switch the block heater on two hours before driving. Usually this is all the time needed to warm the coolant and engine. (read 21 October 2026) [source]
Set a timer around when you plan to drive. Check the vehicle and heater manuals for temperature and operating instructions.
For safe use, follow the heater, cord and timer instructions. Check the cord and plug for damage before use. Have damaged equipment checked before using it. Check the timer’s load limit. Check any outdoor cord’s limit too. Follow their instructions for outdoor conditions. Unplug before driving away.
Why does it matter on cold evenings?
Winter peak hours are 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. (read 21 October 2026) [source] The AESO asks households to shift use: Postpone charging electric vehicles or plugging in block heaters during winter peak hours. (read 21 October 2026) [source]
A timer for a morning departure can move the heater’s use away from the evening peak. That helps reduce demand at that time. It does not mean the table uses a cheaper overnight tariff. Read about Alberta grid alerts.
Does a fixed or floating plan change this?
A fixed or floating plan changes the energy part of the calculation. Delivery charges, riders, town fees and GST still apply to extra use. The table uses the default rate and the tariffs in force on its stated date. Your bill may differ.
For the charges behind each extra unit, read what a kWh costs in Alberta.
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Questions people ask
How much does it cost to run a block heater overnight?
The cost depends on the heater’s rated watts, how long it runs and your electricity plan. The town table uses default tariffs, delivery charges, town fees and tax. Find your rating on the cord tag or in the manual. Then compare the overnight and timer examples for your town.
Does a timer reduce block heater electricity use?
A timer reduces use by cutting the time the heater is powered. Natural Resources Canada says a short period before driving is usually enough to warm the coolant and engine. Check your vehicle’s manual for its instructions. The table compares equal heater ratings over different running times on the same tariff.
Are the heater ratings in the table typical?
The ratings are examples for you to match against your own heater. They are not a claim about the usual size of a car block heater. Read the cord tag or vehicle manual before choosing a row. If your rating differs, use the worked arithmetic to find your energy use.
Will a fixed electricity plan change my block heater cost?
A fixed plan changes the energy price used to cost the electricity. It does not remove the delivery charges, riders, town fees or tax that apply to extra use. The table uses the default energy rate as a dated example. Compare that with the rate and terms on your own bill.
Sources
Written by the BillRobin team. Updated .
Show the 3 sources
https://billrobin.com/ca/en/alberta/energy/block-heater-cost?utm_medium=share&utm_source=page
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