Critics say Alberta's decision to commission two companies to start designing power lines between Calgary and Edmonton — before they've been approved — is offensive.

AltaLink and ATCO Electric have been asked to start design plans and environmental and site-location assessments for new electric transmission lines between the two Alberta cities, the province said Tuesday.

The government says the lines are necessary to get more power onto the grid and help move that electricity to where it's needed most.

But Joe Anglin, a spokesman for dozens of landowners who are part of the Lavesta Area Group, said it's unclear why the province is pushing ahead.

"I find it offensive, the way this government's behaving, because we haven't done a cost-benefit analysis at all on, 'Do we really need these lines or should we build an east-west grid?'" he told CBC News.

Anglin said the decision shuts out other companies.

Expediting process for $3B power lines

Alberta Energy Minister Mel Knight rejected taking bids, explaining that giving the work to experienced companies expedites the process and ensure the lines will be built by 2014.

"We just think the expertise is there," Knight said in an interview. "It'll help control the costs. We think we'll get a better result."

The province estimates the power lines will cost more than $3 billion.

The companies still have to submit applications to the Alberta Utilities Commission, which will hold public hearings.

AltaLink will plan the line from Edmonton to Calgary west of Highway 2. ATCO will work on the line east of that busy corridor.

"We think that splitting up this particular piece of work … into geographical areas … is going to turn out giving Albertans the best product at the end of the day," said Knight.