Morinville-St. Albert MLA Dale Nally has been given the provincial electricity portfolio.
On Tuesday morning, the province announced Nally will be overseeing Alberta’s electricity sector in addition to his current role as associate minister of natural gas and petrochemicals.
Nally is taking the portfolio over from Sonya Savage, Alberta’s minister of energy, so she can focus all of her attention on the collapse of oil prices and working to save Alberta’s biggest industry.
“Essentially by taking this off her plate it can get her to focus solely on the oil producers and to help get them through this emergent crisis,” Nally said.
Nally said it is an honour to be given the file.
“The fact that the premier is willing to give this important file to me shows a measure of trust and faith that he has in me and I am absolutely honoured that ... that he put it under my file,” Nally said.
In a press release, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said Nally has done an excellent job with natural gas.
“Associate Minister Nally has done an exemplary job of working with Alberta’s natural gas producers to not only sustain but improve the health of this vital sector of our economy. I have no doubt that he will continue this great work as he takes on the electricity portfolio. This change will allow our brilliant Energy Minister Sonya Savage to focus on the unprecedented challenges faced by our province’s largest industry,” Kenney said in the release.
Nally said natural gas and electricity systems are key to enabling the province’s health care response to COVID-19 and he looks forward to working with industry partners to ensure Albertans can continue to receive safe, reliable and affordable electricity.
The Associate Minister of Natural Gas and Electricity will continue to operate within the Ministry of Energy to support Albertans and protect jobs by strengthening the long-term stability of Alberta’s natural gas and electricity systems.
