Public hearings on the proposed hikes will take place before the Energy Board between September and December.
Hydro-Québec announced Thursday that it is proposing rate increases of three per cent for residential customers, 3.9 per cent for commercial users and 3.3 per cent for industrial customers. If approved, the rates would come into effect on April 1, 2025, the start of the provincial government’s fiscal year.
The utility filed its proposed increases with the provincial Energy Board for approval.
In a communiqué, Hydro-Québec blamed the level of the increases on “inflationary pressures,” saying the rate hikes proposed for residential and large industrial clients in 2025 are the same as in 2024. Meanwhile, its proposed increase for commercial rates is less than that in 2024, which was 5.1 per cent.
Hydro-Québec said a three-per-cent hike for residential customers translates into an increase of $2.40 a month for a dwelling, $4.50 a month for a small home, $6 for a medium-sized home and $7.40 for a large home.
Public hearings on the proposed hikes will take place before the Energy Board between September and December. A decision is expected by March at the latest.
Hydro-Québec also announced new incentives aimed at having the public consume less energy and reduce its electricity costs.
The utility wants to introduce a “voluntary incentive rate” for customers who find ways to rethink their energy consumption, such as recharging their electric vehicle overnight. Those who followed such a plan could save up to $350 a year, according to Hydro-Québec.
The utility would also like to promote the use of solar panels and efficient heat pump systems by increasing its energy efficiency budget by $150 million next year to $500 million.