Limited Rate Increases and Measures Designed to Lower Electricity Bills

MONTRÉAL, Aug. 1, 2024 /CNW/ - Hydro-Québec filed its rate application today with the Régie de l'énergie, setting out rate increases effective April 1, 2025. The proposed increases are 3% for residential customers, 3.9% for business customers and 3.3% for large industrial customers.

These increases are the result of inflationary pressures in recent years and are the same as the 2024 increases for residential customers and large industrial customers. The rate increase for business customers is lower than the 2024 increase of 5.1%.

For residential customers, the impact of the 3% rate adjustment would amount to about $2.40 per month for an apartment, $4.50 for a small house, $6.00 for a midsize house and $7.40 for a large house.   

New initiatives to encourage energy efficiency and lower electricity bills

Hydro-Québec has adopted a global strategy that places energy efficiency at the core of the energy transition. Today, the company presented enhanced rate options that will help customers lower their electricity bills despite the rate increase by taking advantage of numerous incentives to reduce their electricity use. These options take into account the fact that electricity is a precious resource and that we need to change our ways of using it.

These new initiatives are a first step. Hydro-Québec will analyze the impact of the announced measures and propose additional incentives over the coming years to further encourage its customers to use less electricity, especially when it really counts.
Hydro-Québec is tripling its energy efficiency budget from $150 million in 2022 to $500 million in 2025, to encourage the installation of efficient heat pumps, among other things.

The company is also launching a voluntary incentive rate with savings of up to $350 per year for customers who shift their electricity use by charging their electric vehicle overnight, for example.

Self-generation, including solar self-generation, will be made easier for all customers as the maximum self-generation capacity will increase from 50 kW to 1,000 kW. Hydro-Québec also plans to offer a grant for the installation of solar panels beginning in 2026.

Some households use much more electricity than others. To combat overconsumption, Hydro-Québec is proposing to charge households that consume more than 50,000 kWh per year, i.e., about 1% of residential customers, a higher rate encouraging them to use energy more wisely. This rate would apply as of 2027, giving these customers a few years to implement the energy efficiency measures needed to bring their consumption below 50,000 kWh.

Large industrial customers will also need to install energy management systems enabling them to continuously monitor their electricity use.

Special consideration for low-income households

Hydro-Québec is continuing its efforts to support low-income households. A $60-million budget has been proposed, mainly to support bill and debt payment for certain customers who have entered into payment arrangements and to offer energy efficiency programs to help customers reduce their electricity use. Hydro-Québec also plans to implement measures to ensure that no low-income households are charged the residential overconsumption rate.

Next steps

The Régie de l'énergie's review and public hearing will take place from September to December. Its decision will be announced next March at the latest, with the new rates coming into effect on April 1, 2025.

SOURCE Hydro-Québec

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