Competition Bureau Closes Bid-Rigging Inquiry Involving Supply of Electricity in Alberta

OTTAWA, December 20, 2000 — The Competition Bureau announced today it has concluded that behaviour involving two importers of electricity into Alberta did not constitute bid-rigging under the Competition Act. Therefore, the Bureau has closed its inquiry.

In December of 1999, the Power Pool of Alberta, on the recommendation of the Market Surveillance Administrator, referred bidding behaviour that appeared to be consistent with criminal bid-rigging to the Bureau for further investigation under the Competition Act. The behaviour in question consisted of certain bids made by the British Columbia Power Exchange Corporation ("Powerex") and Enron Canada Corp. ("Enron") to supply power to the Power Pool of Alberta between June 1 and September 2, 1999.

"We took this complaint seriously. We conducted a thorough investigation, used formal search powers and seized records from both companies," said Johanne D'Auray, Deputy Commissioner of Competition, Criminal Matters. "The evidence suggests that the companies were employing independent business strategies and were not colluding on bids."

The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency whose mandate is to maintain and encourage fair competition in Canada.

For more information, please contact:

Cynthia Grant
Communication Advisor
Communications Directorate
819-994-0349