The Notley government will impose controls over the price of electricity in 2017 and use cash from the carbon tax to cover electricity market increases.

Even though the price of electricity is around four cents per kilowatt hour, the province said it will eventually go up and the cap is intended to protect Albertans.

"Albertans know all too well how volatile that price can be. In 2012 prices spiked in one month to a record 15 cents per kilowatt hour," said Premier Rachel Notley.

Prices have also been affected by things like a failed generator and the polar vortex, and it’s expected the phasing out of coal will also have an impact.

The rate will be capped at a maximum of 6.8 cents per kilowatt hour, and the province plans to dip into revenue from the carbon tax if prices go above that so consumers and power companies won’t take a hit.

“We think we have a lot of tools at our disposal to keep prices lower, but should they go up, it’s a reasonable use of the funds within the carbon levy because it’s about supporting stability while transitioning to not only a more stable and better market but also to facilitate the move off of coal and the move to cleaner forms of energy,” said Notley.

But not everybody is supporting the idea of an electricity cap.

"The only reason you'd impose a price cap on electricity is if you anticipated making moves yourself as a government that would cause electricity prices to sky rocket and they aren't being forthcoming with Albertans about what those changes might be," said Justin Smith of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.

"Such massive regulation should really be done in consultation with the utility company, with rate payers and with Albertans as a whole and it's my understanding on this particular one that no consultation was done," said Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

Enmax also released a statement saying the NDP is ignoring the fact that retailers have been providing price protection to consumers for a decade.

The province is trying to move away from a deregulated power market, which only Alberta and Texas still have in North America.

Consumers don’t have to opt into the capped system and can still take advantage of offers from any private supplier they wish.