EDMONTON - Alberta's NDP is sounding the alarm about power prices.

Leader Brian Mason says major energy companies Capital Power and Direct Energy have applied to export more than 400 times the amount of energy that is already exported from the province to the United States.

Mason says the move will mean higher power prices for Albertans and stretch Alberta's grid to the max.

Mason thinks the power companies are making the move to force the province to go ahead with major transmission projects to create more power.

Last month, the Alberta government approved the building of two high-voltage electricity lines running from the Edmonton area down to Calgary and beyond.

An independent panel of experts said the two lines are needed to service Alberta's growing population and industry.