The Alberta Energy Regulator, an agency at the centre of sweeping industry change — and frequent turmoil — is about to add four new members to the board, with longtime industry veteran Duncan Au set to become its chair later this summer.

The UCP government will also appoint three other board members with a long history working in the sector, including the premier’s new special adviser, David Yager, who recently completed a review of the AER — and his appointment is likely to raise eyebrows.

The other new members include Theresa Watson, a professional engineer who previously served as a board member with the predecessor Energy Resources Conversation Board last decade, and Carey Arnett, previous CEO of pipeline construction business Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners.

Au, previously the chief executive of Calgary-based CWC Energy Services Corp. before its acquisition by Precision Drilling last year, said the AER is at the forefront of an evolving energy landscape.

As the AER takes on new and expanding areas of oversight — such as the development of lithium, geothermal, and carbon capture and storage — and continues to face the daunting issue surrounding the cleanup of Alberta’s aging wells, a hard look at its capacity will be required.

“The AER has had a lot of things put onto their plate,” Au, who is a chartered professional accountant, said in an interview.

“You need to have the right types of people to understand what those project proponents are looking to do. That’s one of the things we’re going to need to take a look at and say, ‘Do we have the right people at the AER’ . . . so we can make decisions on a timely basis and do what the regulator is supposed........

© Calgary Herald