Fact Check: Canada supplies 85% of U.S. electricity imports.

Fact Check: "Canada supplies 85% of U.S. electricity imports."

What We Know

The claim that "Canada supplies 85% of U.S. electricity imports" is a significant assertion regarding the energy trade between the two countries. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Canada is indeed the largest source of U.S. energy imports, but electricity constitutes a small portion of this trade. In 2019, the United States imported approximately 52 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity from Canada, while exporting 14 million MWh back to Canada. This indicates that electricity trade is relatively balanced, but the total volume of electricity imported is much less than the total energy imports, which include crude oil and natural gas.

Furthermore, the Canada Energy Regulator reported that electricity imports from the U.S. were valued at only $1.6 billion in 2023, accounting for just 0.2% of all goods imported into Canada. This suggests that while Canada does play a significant role in supplying electricity to the U.S., the figure of 85% appears to be inflated or misrepresented.

Analysis

The assertion that Canada supplies 85% of U.S. electricity imports lacks supporting evidence when examined against reliable data sources. The EIA provides detailed statistics on energy imports, showing that while Canada is a major supplier, the specific claim regarding electricity imports does not hold up under scrutiny. The electricity trade is just one component of a much larger energy import framework, which is dominated by crude oil and natural gas.

Additionally, the Canada Energy Regulator highlights that the electricity trade is not as dominant as the claim suggests. The value of electricity imports is a small fraction of the total energy trade, and the actual volume of electricity exchanged is significantly lower than what would be implied by the 85% figure.

The reliability of the sources used to support this claim is also questionable. While the EIA is a credible source for energy statistics, the claim itself does not appear to originate from a primary data source but rather seems to be a misinterpretation or exaggeration of the actual statistics.

Conclusion

Verdict: False
The claim that Canada supplies 85% of U.S. electricity imports is misleading and not supported by factual data. The actual percentage of electricity imported from Canada is significantly lower than stated, and the overall energy trade is dominated by other resources such as crude oil and natural gas. The assertion fails to accurately represent the nature of U.S.-Canada energy trade and relies on an inflated statistic that does not align with available data.