EDMONTON — Coming off major wins on domestic pipelines, Alberta is taking its energy message south of the border as the province reminds its closest trading partner of the importance of Canadian energy to U.S. security and economic growth.
Chantelle de Jonge, parliamentary secretary for Affordability and Utilities and MLA for Chestermere-Strathmore, will travel to Reno, Nev., to join lawmakers from across the western United States for a three-day energy forum beginning Monday.
The invitation-only Western Energy Caucus brings together legislators and industry leaders to discuss grid reliability, energy generation and storage, wildfire mitigation and carbon management and sequestration.
The province says de Jonge will promote Alberta’s oil, natural gas and electricity resources while highlighting emerging technologies and the role Canadian energy can play in meeting growing demand across the western United States.
“The Western Energy Caucus provides an important opportunity to build relationships with legislators across the western U.S. and share Alberta’s perspective as a leader in responsible energy development,” de Jonge said.
“By strengthening partnerships, we can advance energy security, support responsible growth and create lasting economic benefits on both sides of the border.”
The mission comes as Alberta has gained momentum on efforts to expand domestic pipeline capacity and improve access to markets for the province’s energy sector.
Alberta and the United States already share a deeply integrated energy and trading relationship.
The U.S. is Alberta’s largest trading partner, while Alberta is the second-largest provincial exporter to the United States.
Bilateral trade between Alberta and the U.S. exceeded $152 billion in 2025, accounting for nearly 86 per cent of provincial exports.
Energy products represented about $125 billion, or more than 82 per cent, of Alberta’s exports to the United States.
The province says Alberta’s energy resources could play an increasingly important role in supporting U.S. grid reliability and meeting rising electricity demand across western states.
Alberta and Montana are connected by an international power line running between Lethbridge and Great Falls, capable of transferring up to 300 megawatts of electricity in either direction.
The Western Energy Caucus was established in 2025 by the Institute for Western Energy and includes legislators from Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
De Jonge will participate in meetings, policy sessions and tours from July 13 to 15 before returning to Alberta.
The province says expenses related to the mission will be publicly disclosed.
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