A 100-light LED mini string on six hours a night for a month of 31 nights costs about 19.0 cents in Calgary. The same in incandescent costs about $1.51. In Edmonton, the LED string costs about 19.0 cents. The incandescent string costs about $1.52. These are the table’s rounded costs, including usage charges and GST.
EPCOR’s guide, citing a lights retailer, gives these approximate string ratings. LED minis: Around 5 watts per 100-light strand (read 22 October 2026) [source]. Incandescent minis: Around 40 watts for a 100-light strand (read 22 October 2026) [source].
What does a month cost in my town?
Each month here means six hours a night for thirty-one nights, except the all-day column. Check your box: these are around figures from EPCOR’s guide, citing a lights retailer. They are not ratings for every string.
For C9 bulbs, the LED rating is Around 0.8 watts per bulb (read 22 October 2026) [source]. The incandescent rating is Around 7 watts per bulb (read 22 October 2026) [source].
| Town | 100 LED minis. Around 5 W. 6 hours × 31 nights. EPCOR guide. | 100 incandescent minis. Around 40 W. 6 hours × 31 nights. EPCOR guide. | 100 LED C9 bulbs. Around 80 W. 6 hours × 31 nights. EPCOR guide. | 100 incandescent C9 bulbs. Around 700 W. 6 hours × 31 nights. EPCOR guide. | 100 LED C9 bulbs. Around 80 W. 24 hours × 31 days. EPCOR guide. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary | about $0.19 | about $1.51 | about $3.02 | about $26.43 | about $12.08 |
| Edmonton | about $0.19 | about $1.52 | about $3.04 | about $26.56 | about $12.14 |
| Airdrie | about $0.21 | about $1.67 | about $3.33 | about $29.16 | about $13.33 |
| Beaumont | about $0.21 | about $1.65 | about $3.30 | about $28.90 | about $13.21 |
| Cochrane | about $0.21 | about $1.64 | about $3.29 | about $28.77 | about $13.15 |
| Fort Saskatchewan | about $0.19 | about $1.55 | about $3.10 | about $27.08 | about $12.38 |
| Grande Prairie | about $0.27 | about $2.15 | about $4.30 | about $37.63 | about $17.20 |
| Leduc | about $0.21 | about $1.65 | about $3.30 | about $28.90 | about $13.21 |
| Okotoks | about $0.21 | about $1.67 | about $3.33 | about $29.16 | about $13.33 |
| Sherwood Park | about $0.19 | about $1.55 | about $3.10 | about $27.08 | about $12.38 |
| Spruce Grove | about $0.21 | about $1.67 | about $3.33 | about $29.16 | about $13.33 |
| St. Albert | about $0.20 | about $1.64 | about $3.27 | about $28.64 | about $13.09 |
| Stony Plain | about $0.21 | about $1.67 | about $3.33 | about $29.16 | about $13.33 |
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 table prices extra use on the default electricity rate. It includes delivery usage charges, town fees and GST. Daily charges are already on your bill. Your own plan’s energy price can change the cost.
See what an extra kWh costs in Alberta for the charges behind each unit.
How do I work out my own display?
Read the watts on each box. Multiply watts per string by the number of strings. Then multiply by total running hours. Divide by a thousand to get kWh. Add separate totals for different types of lights. Use the cost of extra electricity in your town to price that energy.
For illustration
Imagine four made-up strings rated at 10 watts each. For six hours a night over 31 nights, use 10 × 4 × 6 × 31 ÷ 1,000 = 7.44 kWh. This is an illustration, not a measured display. One hour uses 0.04 kWh; one six-hour night uses 0.24 kWh.
For an hourly or daily cost, use that period’s kWh. Multiply by the cents per kWh. Divide by a hundred for dollars. Round only the final cost. The table assumes a steady draw at the stated watts.
LED or incandescent?
The EPCOR ratings above give LED strings a lower power draw for these examples. Compare equal bulb counts and running hours. Read the box for your own lights. FortisAlberta also says: LED string lights last up to 10 times longer than incandescent lights (read 22 October 2026) [source]. “Up to” describes a limit, not a promise for your display.
Does a timer help?
A timer cuts energy use when it shortens the hours the lights run. Compare the same LED C9 display in the evening and all-day columns.
For illustration
At 80 watts, 100 C9 LED bulbs use 14.88 kWh over six hours a night for 31 nights. Left on 24/7 for 31 days, they use 59.52 kWh. That is four times the energy. The town table prices both cases. Rounded costs may differ slightly from that ratio.
Set the schedule for the hours you want the display lit. Follow the timer’s instructions and load limit.
How do I keep outdoor lights safe?
Health Canada says: Use lights with an accredited certification agency mark, such as CSA, cUL or cETL (read 22 October 2026) [source].
Check the location rating: Lights and lighted decorations have indoor or outdoor ratings. Use indoor lights only inside (read 22 October 2026) [source].
Follow the load limits: Read the package instructions and stay within the stated wattage limit (read 22 October 2026) [source].
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Questions people ask
How much does it cost to run Christmas lights for a month?
Start with the watts on the box and the hours you leave the lights on. The town table gives dated examples for mini strings and roofline bulbs. It includes the usage charges and tax on the default rate. Your own plan and display can change the result.
Do LED Christmas lights cost less to run?
For the same running hours, the lower wattages in EPCOR’s guide use less electricity. The guide’s mini string and roofline examples let you compare the two types on the same town tariff. Read your own packaging before applying a column to your display. Individual light strings can have different ratings.
How do I find the cost per hour or per day?
Divide the watts for your whole display by a thousand to find the energy used in an hour. Multiply by your running hours for a day or month. Then apply the cost of extra electricity in your town. Include usage charges and tax, rather than just the plan’s energy price.
Does leaving Christmas lights on all day change the cost?
Longer running hours use more energy when the lights draw the same power throughout. The table compares the same roofline LED display running each evening and running all day. A timer can shorten that schedule. Check its instructions and load limit, along with the outdoor rating of the lights.
Sources
Written by the BillRobin team. Updated .
Show the 28 sources
- Alberta Utilities Commission: ATCO Electric Ltd., Appendix 1 - Rider A municipal assessment, Rider A Municipal Assessment Surcharge, Table 1: Total Rider A (effective 2026 04 01)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: ATCO Electric Ltd., Appendix 3 - 2026 interim price schedules, effective January 1, 2026
- Alberta Utilities Commission: ATCO Electric Ltd., Quarterly AESO DTS Deferral Account Rider S Application - Q4 2026, effective October 1, 2026
- Alberta Utilities Commission: ATCO Electric Ltd., Rider G Temporary Adjustment, effective January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026
- Alberta Utilities Commission: AUC Disposition 31030-D01-2026 (September 11, 2026), Appendix 1 - FortisAlberta Inc. 2026 Q4 QTAR filing, Rider Schedules (Quarterly Transmission Adjustment Rider)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: AUC Disposition 31032-D01-2026 (September 11, 2026), Appendix 1 - EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc. Rider K, Transmission Charge Deferral Account True-Up Rider (Short-Term Adjustment, effective October 1, 2026)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: Direct Energy Regulated Services, 2026 Final Rate Schedules for Electricity RRT Service, effective July 1, 2026 (Appendix 3 - Direct Energy 2026 final regulated rate tariff schedules, 2024-2026 Deferral Account Disposition)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: ENMAX Energy Corporation, Regulated Rate Tariff: 2025 Non-Energy Interim Rates, Appendix 2 - 2025 interim rate schedule (Rate Schedule applicable to Regulated Rate Tariff Customers within the City of Calgary)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: ENMAX Power Corporation, Appendix 3 - 2026 interim rate schedule, rates in effect as of January 1, 2026
- Alberta Utilities Commission: ENMAX Power Corporation, Quarterly Transmission Access Charge ("TAC") Adjustment Rider, effective October 1, 2026
- Alberta Utilities Commission: ENMAX Power Corporation, Rider F, 2026 Balancing Pool Allocation Rider, effective January 1, 2026
- Alberta Utilities Commission: EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc., 2026 Annual Performance-Based Regulation Rate Adjustment, Appendix 3 - 2026 Interim distribution access service rates (DT - Schedule 1, Distribution Access Service Tariff, effective January 1, 2026)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc., 2026 Annual Performance-Based Regulation Rate Adjustment, Appendix 4 - 2026 Interim system access service rates (DT - Schedule A, effective January 1, 2026)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc., Appendix 10 - Rider J, SAS True-Up Rider (Interim Adjustment, effective January 1, 2026)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc., Appendix 9 - 2026 Balancing Pool Rider G (Temporary Adjustment, effective January 1, 2026)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: EPCOR Energy Alberta GP Inc., Price Schedule Applicable to Regulated Rate Tariff Customers Outside the City of Edmonton (EEA Regulated Rate Tariff, FortisAlberta Inc.), effective July 1, 2026 (Appendix 5 - Fortis price schedule July 1, 2026, 2025-2027 Non-Energy Regulated Rate Tariff Compliance Filing)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: EPCOR Energy Alberta GP Inc., Price Schedule Applicable to Regulated Rate Tariff Customers within the City of Edmonton (EEA Regulated Rate Tariff, EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc.), effective July 1, 2026 (Appendix 3 - EDTI price schedule July 1, 2026, 2025-2027 Non-Energy Regulated Rate Tariff Compliance Filing)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: FortisAlberta Inc., 2026 Annual Performance-Based Regulation Rate Adjustment, Appendix 3 - 2026 interim rate schedule (Interim Rates, Options and Riders Schedules, January 1, 2026)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: FortisAlberta Inc., Appendix 1 - Municipal Assessment Rider A-1, 2026 Rate Sheets (Rider A-1 effective July 1, 2026)
- Alberta Utilities Commission: FortisAlberta Inc., Appendix 1 - Municipal franchise fee riders (Rates, Options and Riders Schedules, effective May 1, 2026)
- assets.enmax.com: ENMAX Energy Corporation, Regulated Rates 2024 - 2026 (Calgary, Red Deer, Ponoka, Cardston)
- The City of Calgary, Energy costs page
- EPCOR: A guide to holiday light energy usage
- EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc., Schedule - Franchise Fee Rates (Local Access Fee), effective January 1, 2026
- EPCOR, Rate of Last Resort (Edmonton)
- FortisAlberta: Winter tips
- Health Canada reminds Canadians of holiday safety tips
- www.directenergy.ca: Direct Energy Regulated Services, Residential Electricity Rates
https://billrobin.com/ca/en/alberta/energy/christmas-lights-cost?utm_medium=share&utm_source=page
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