Hydro-Québec wants to force large residential customers to pay more. The state-owned company is again asking the Régie de l’Energie to approve the new tariff level.
The state-owned company says it is targeting owners of heated pools, spas or heated driveways, it said in a press release earlier this week.
Hydro-Québec targets households that consume more than 35,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh). She estimates this will represent 200,000 households, or 5% of its clientele.
The proposed rate is 13 cents per kWh. Remember that the residential tariff is 7 cents/kWh for the first tranche of 15,000 kWh per year. Over 15,000 the rate is 12 cents/kWh.
The average home heated with electricity consumes 17,000 kWh.
The state-owned company is making this request as rising demand forces it to develop new production capacity at a higher cost than the heritage block. The supply of electricity needed to meet this growth will create upward pressure on rates for all customers, even the customers who consume the least.
emphasizes Hydro-Québec in a press release.
The organization believes that the new tariff will become a price signal that will promote more efficient use of electricity.
(Price) will also relieve all consumers, including low-income households, from having to bear the costs created by the minority of people who choose to consume more.
she says.
Hydro-Québec failed for the first time in its bid to introduce a super-customer tariff.
In March last year, Régie refused the state corporation’s request, asking it to submit a more detailed proposal in the fall. As we read in the decision, Régie remains concerned about excessive consumption and waste of energy. However, this imperative needs to be reconciled with mechanisms that can identify real overconsumption.
we can read in the decision of the administrative court.