What Utility Network & Partners does

Utility Network & Partners Inc. (UTILITYnet) is a Calgary-based, privately held technology and energy services company founded in 1978, operating exclusively in Alberta's deregulated electricity and natural gas market. The company operates two inter-related businesses: (1) energy retailing — selling electricity, natural gas, green energy, and solar directly to consumers across 400+ Alberta communities through a network of locally-owned Community Energy Marketers, Marketing Associates, and a wholly-owned internet subsidiary (Q Wave, launched 2020); and (2) managed services / business process outsourcing — providing billing, settlement, and operational technology to Licensed Retailers, Rural Electrification Associations (REAs), and Self-Retail Industrial/Oil & Gas customers.

Its core technology platform is a cloud-based Retail Business Network built on an Oracle database design, integrating multiple modules: ZYNXX (ASP billing covering MDM, CRM, enrollment, billing, collections, load aggregation, and hedge management), SMS (self-service site management), ISIS (settlement code processing), EPSS (industrial power supervision and procurement reporting), UNETgrid (24/7 operational portal), Site Catalog (a ~3 million-site searchable database), Utility Analytics (real-time AESO data), and Price Alert (market notifications). These systems interface with all major Alberta Wire Service Providers and Load Settlement Agents (ATCO, ENMAX, EPCOR, FortisAlberta) and the AESO Energy Trading System.

Revenue is generated across multiple streams: per-kWh margins on retail electricity and gas (with marketers setting competitive prices often below the Regulated Rate Option), recurring program fees from Community Energy Marketers, transaction-fee energy trading and aggregation, managed-services/BPO fees for ZYNXX billing and Self-Retail operations, and Q Wave internet subscriptions. The company's strategic emphasis is on community-owned local distribution, a 'People's Utility' brand positioning, and supporting Alberta's renewable transition through Solar Club™.

Name

Utility Network & Partners

Legal name

Utility Network & Partners Inc.

Website

https://utilitynet.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Utility Network & Partners is a Calgary-based, privately held technology and energy services firm operating in Alberta's deregulated market, providing energy retailing through a Community Energy Marketer network plus cloud-based billing, settlement, and BPO technology (ZYNXX, UNETgrid, SMS, ISIS) to Licensed Retailers, REAs, and Industrial clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Energy and Utility Technology Services

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Utilities (22)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Supply + DER/Virtual Power Plant Bundles (Solar, Storage, DR) (EUAGABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Solar Development & Subscription Management (EUAMAJAA), Green Power Retailing & Bundled Supply (Energy + Certificates) (EUAGAFAE), Customer Self-Service Portals & Digital Experience (Web/Mobile) (EUAJAHAK)

Keywords

• Energy retailing services
• Utility billing platform
• Community energy marketing
• Renewable energy programs
• Wholesale electricity procurement

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Energy Retailing: UTILITYnet sells electricity, natural gas, green energy, and solar directly to consumers. The company aggregates energy demand from all consumers in its network and purchases supply in bulk from AESO, natural gas suppliers, and green energy producers. Community Energy Marketers set their own competitive prices and earn from the margin.
2. Community Energy Marketer Program Fees: Low-cost business model where entrepreneurs, cooperatives, and municipalities pay an entry fee and annual maintenance fee to operate as Community Energy Marketers under UTILITYnet's licenses. Marketers earn monthly loyalty payments based on customer count and aggregated consumption.
3. Energy Trading and Aggregation: UTILITYnet buys and sells energy daily, organizing, scheduling, and financing electricity, natural gas, and green energy purchases to meet aggregated demand. Benefits from bulk purchasing power agreements.
4. ZYNXX Billing Services: Web-based utility billing solution provided to Licensed Retailers and REAs as an ASP solution. Generates revenue through service fees for meter data management, billing, and operational support.
5. Self-Retail Services: BPO services for Industrial and Oil & Gas companies including back-office applications, software, and IT platforms for a monthly transactional charge.
6. Internet Services (Q Wave): Q Wave provides Cable and DSL Internet services to consumers in Alberta, generating revenue from internet service subscriptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

UTILITYnet retails electricity, natural gas, green energy, solar, and Internet services directly to residential and small business consumers in over 400 Alberta communities, and operates the Solar Club micro-generation loyalty program. It also provides a cloud-based Retail Business Network — including the ZYNXX billing platform, UNETgrid portal, and supporting modules (SMS, ISIS, EPSS, Site Catalog, Utility Analytics) — as managed services and BPO to Industrial/Oil & Gas firms, Rural Electrification Associations, Licensed Retailers, and Community Energy Marketers in Alberta's deregulated energy market.

Product overview

UTILITYnet is a technology platform company founded in 1978 that provides a unified suite of energy management, billing, and retailing solutions for Alberta's deregulated energy market. The core platform consists of ZYNXX (a comprehensive billing and settlement system), UNETgrid (a business intelligence portal), and supporting modules including EPSS (electrical power supervision), ISIS (process control), SMS (site management), Price Alert, Site Catalog, and Utility Analytics. The company operates through a network model with Community Energy Marketers (local retailers) and Marketing Associates (referral partners). Subsidiary brands include Solar Club™ (solar loyalty program launched 2015) and Q Wave (internet services launched 2020). The platform serves Industrial, Oil & Gas, and Consumer Retail Service industries across 400+ Alberta communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Solar Club™: A unique loyalty program designed specifically for solar micro-generators, offering a premium on solar electricity and helping green Alberta's electricity grid.
• Q Wave

Products and services

• ZYNXX Billing Platform A fully integrated utility business service (ASP/SaaS solution) that handles meter data management, customer relationship management, enrollment, billing, collections, aggregation of load, and hedge management for Licensed Retailers and Rural Electrification Associations.
• UNETgrid Portal A Virtual Private Portal providing Community Energy Marketers, Retailers, Self-Retailers, and Rural Electrification Associations with 24/7 web access to operational dashboards, business application tools, detailed data, and ad-hoc customized reports.
• Self-Retail Solution A managed service solution for Alberta's Industrial and Oil & Gas companies to buy electricity directly from the wholesale market for their own load requirements, including AESO market participant registration support and back-office applications as a BPO provider.
• Solar Club™ A loyalty program designed for solar micro-generators in Alberta, offering a premium on exported solar electricity and channelling funds into a private fund that supports Alberta Micro Generators and helps green the electricity grid.
• Q Wave Internet Service Cable and DSL Internet service offered to consumers in Alberta as an alternative to corporate Internet monopolies in Western Canada's Internet market.
• Consumer Electricity and Natural Gas Retail Supply Direct-to-consumer retail supply of electricity and natural gas (plus green energy options and Budget Billing) to residential and small business customers across over 400 Alberta communities, with rates often below the Regulated Rate Option (RRO).
• Community Energy Marketer Program A low-cost business model enabling entrepreneurs, cooperatives, and municipalities to enter Alberta's deregulated energy market as Community Energy Marketers operating under UTILITYnet's licenses, with low entry fee, annual maintenance fee, and access to bulk purchasing power.
• Marketing Associate Program A home-based referral business opportunity where associates earn residual income by referring customers to UTILITYnet's Community Energy Marketers for electricity, natural gas, and Internet services.
• Energy Trading Desk Aggregated purchasing-power service that organizes, schedules, and finances the daily purchase of electricity, natural gas, and green energy to meet the aggregated demand of all consumers in the UTILITYnet network.
• Green the Grid A service allowing customers to reduce their emissions footprint by greening 5% to 100% of their electricity consumption through the Solar Club micro-generation program.
• Utility Analytics A suite of data analytics tools providing real-time and historical data on Alberta's energy market, including generation supply and load, pool prices, Alberta load analysis, micro-generation data, and energy emergency alerts sourced from AESO.
• Site Catalog A searchable database of approximately 3 million electric and gas sites in Alberta, maintained and updated nightly, allowing searches by Site ID, Meter ID, reference code, and civic or legal address.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 communities served across Alberta
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Alberta Electric Systems Operator (AESO)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009AESO is the grid operator for Alberta's electricity market. UTILITYnet purchases electricity directly from AESO based on hourly floating prices and interfaces with AESO's Energy Trading System (ETS) for market data and settlement.
• ATCO ElectriccoreTechnology or IntegrationWire Service Provider and Load Settlement Agent. UTILITYnet's systems interface with ATCO for electricity distribution, settlement, and tariff billing.
• ENMAX PowercoreTechnology or IntegrationWire Service Provider and Load Settlement Agent for Calgary and other areas. UTILITYnet interfaces with ENMAX for load settlement and wire rate billing.
• EPCORcoreTechnology or IntegrationWire Service Provider and Load Settlement Agent. UTILITYnet's systems integrate with EPCOR for settlement and distribution services.
• FortisAlbertacoreTechnology or IntegrationWire Service Provider and Load Settlement Agent. UTILITYnet interfaces with FortisAlberta for electricity distribution and load settlement.
• Biomass Forestry Industry ProducerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen energy purchased from biomass forestry industry producers in Alberta for the Solar Club program.
• PV Solar Micro GeneratorssupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSolar Club purchases energy from PV Solar micro generators in Alberta, providing premium returns to micro-generators.
• Independent Power Producers Society of Alberta (IPPSA)minorOthersIndustry association representing power producers, marketers, engineering firms, consultants, and contractors in Alberta.
• Canadian Electricity Association (CEA)minorOthersNational voice of the Canadian electricity industry.
• Alberta Federation of REAs (AFREA)minorOthersProvides voice for Rural Electrification Association members in Alberta.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hudson Energy: Retail electricity and natural gas supplier serving Canadian commercial and industrial customers, including in Alberta. Comparable in commercial/industrial focus and deregulated-market B2B energy supply.
• Vertex Inc. Provider of tax and billing automation software, including utility-billing-adjacent solutions. Comparable to UTILITYnet's ZYNXX billing platform as a technology vendor for energy retailers and utilities.
• Direct Energy: One of North America's largest retail electricity and natural gas suppliers, operating in multiple deregulated markets including Alberta. Directly comparable to UTILITYnet's retail energy business model and community-pricing strategy.
• ENMAX Energy: Calgary-headquartered retail electricity provider and municipal utility competitor serving Alberta. Comparable as a same-province energy retailer with both consumer and commercial offerings.
• ATCO Energy: ATCO's retail energy arm selling electricity and natural gas in Alberta's deregulated market. Highly comparable to UTILITYnet's consumer retail proposition and marketer-style competitive positioning.
• Just Energy: Canadian-headquartered retail electricity and natural gas provider selling to residential and commercial customers across North America. Comparable deregulated-market retailer with similar variable/fixed-rate product offerings.

Emerging players

• Uplight: Energy customer experience and billing platform serving utilities and retailers across North America. Comparable to UTILITYnet's UNETgrid + ZYNXX combination for customer self-service, enrollment, and engagement.
• Fluentgrid: Provider of CIS, billing, and analytics software to electric utilities and retailers globally. Comparable to ZYNXX/ISIS as a back-office utility IT platform for retail energy providers.
• Spot Power: Alberta-focused retail electricity provider with a digital-first onboarding experience. Competes with UTILITYnet for the same residential and SMB deregulated-market customers in Alberta.

Broad incumbents

• Shell Energy North America: Large integrated energy retail and trading arm operating across multiple North American deregulated markets. Overlaps with UTILITYnet's Energy Trading Desk and industrial Self-Retail, but at vastly greater scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6LOVWYRlj2lQGwCMLndEYA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ThePeoplesUtility
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1286630

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Utility Network & Partners