Disconnections during the winter have been prohibited in Quebec for a long time, and Ontario has followed suit just in time for the 2017-18 season. As a result, electricity is regarded as a necessary service during the winter:
- From December 1st to March 31st in Quebec,
- From November 15 to April 30 in Ontario,
Hydro-Qubec, Hydro One, and other hydro providers are expected to maintain or restore service in all principal residences throughout this time. However, as the disconnection ban period comes to an end, service interruptions may be implemented again soon.
In Quebec, around 50,000 houses have their services disrupted each year. Statistics show that there are almost 60,000 disconnections in Ontario each year.
When will Hydro-Qubec be able to shut you off?
You will be sent a notice of interruption if you do not pay the amount owing or make a payment plan after getting a late payment notice. This notice is to inform you that unless you pay the amount due immediately or make a payment plan, electrical service to your address will be cut off within nine (9) days after the date of the notice of interruption.
If you are a low-income family, please contact our customer service department. We can work out a plan with more reasonable payments. You can renew your personalized payment arrangement online in your Customer Space if you already have one.
Is hydro cheaper in Quebec at night?
In Quebec, regardless of the time of day, you pay the same amount all day, and our rates are still 30% less than Ontario’s reduced rates.
Is Hydro-Qubec a heating company?
Heating and air conditioning can account for up to 54% of your power bill, so choose wisely and establish energy-saving behaviors. You might be able to save a lot of money!
In the winter, how much more electricity do you use?
KEA receives calls from members every year who are concerned about their bills and/or meters. During the winter months, we receive the majority of these inquiries from people who believe their electric bills are inaccurate because they are greater than usual.
Heaters are on, we’re all inside more in the winter, the TV is on, the lights are on, the kids are inside, the fridge is open for snacks, and so on. In other words, throughout the winter, we all need more electricity.
We frequently have to remind members that their consumption will increase. The average monthly usage for all residential consumers is 602 kWh per year. The summer average is 505 kWh (about $78 for a typical monthly bill). The winter average is 706 kWh, which is 200 kWh higher than the summer average. The average winter cost is approximately $105.
If you’re worried about your bill, there are several things you can do to cut down on your usage and keep your cost from rising when the weather cools. What I would suggest is that you check your electric meter on a regular basis. Consider what you have going on in your home and take a look at your meter. Check out how rapidly it’s whirling. The more electricity is used at any given time, the faster it spins.
Things to keep an eye out for and things we’ve discovered that can help you save money on electricity are listed below.
Vehicle Block Heaters are a problem.
Electric block heaters for automobiles and trucks can consume a lot of electricity. Many electric block heaters are 1,500 watt heaters that use the equivalent of fifteen 100 watt light bulbs in terms of energy consumption.
Suggestion:
- If you plug in your truck every night, a timer might be a good idea. A good timer will set you back $20 and save you that much in monthly electricity costs. Setting the timer for one or two hours before you need to depart in the morning is generally sufficient to allow your vehicle to start easily.
- Check to see if someone else is plugging into your meter if you reside in an apartment building with exterior receptacles. This has happened to us several times recently.
Hot Water Heaters are a problem.
Electric hot water heaters consume a lot of electricity. Silt and other water residue can build up on electric hot water heating elements. This insulates the water from the heat source, requiring the heater to work harder to heat the same volume of water. Increasing your use of hot water for laundry and personal use will almost surely raise your usage.
- Flushing your tank once a year is recommended by manufacturers. The water in Kotzebue can include a lot of silt at times; if you don’t flush your tank, the silt will eventually cause your water heater to stop working properly.
- Setting your tank’s temperature to 120 degrees will help you save money. Heaters are frequently adjusted to 170 degrees at the factory. Keep in mind that most 30-40 gallon tanks have two thermostats, one on the bottom and one on the top. Both of them should be turned back to 120 degrees.
- Protect your tank by insulating it. Many hot water heaters lose a significant amount of heat due to poor insulation by the manufacturer. Many hot water heaters come with only the bare minimum of insulation.
Electric heaters consume a lot of electricity. If you use a modest heater on a regular basis, it can cost you $100 or more per month.
Refrigerators and freezers are two types of appliances. We discovered a number of refrigerators and freezers that were giving people issues. They weren’t cycling correctly. Several of these older units resulted in significant increases in the bills of their owners.
The cooling fins on a refrigerator or freezer should be cleaned once a year, according to the manufacturer. Kotzebue can get fairly dusty in the summer. This dust will build up and eventually insulate the cooling fins, preventing the refrigerator or freezer from removing heat. This means that the unit will not work as intended and will not cycle or turn off.
Heat tape with an electric element. Many homeowners have installed heat tape on water and sewer pipes as a result of previous water line freeze-up issues.
Look for wiring that you aren’t familiar with in water and sewer lines under the home or under sinks. It’s not a good idea to leave heat tapes plugged in all the time; the thermostats on them frequently fail, resulting in fires.
Usage that is not approved. We’ve discovered extension cords plugged into outdoor receptacles on multiple occasions when working with members on their usage.
Consumers who don’t understand how their appliances and equipment use influences their electric costs are more likely to see higher bills.
When does Hydro-Qubec have the authority to shut you off in the winter?
Electricity services cannot be completely disconnected between October 15 and April 15 according to the Distribution Tariff Regulation.
If you do not pay for your power services within this time frame, your electricity provider may put a limiter on your meter. Between November 15 and April 15, natural gas services cannot be completely disconnected. Furthermore, your natural gas or electricity provider is prohibited from disconnecting your services if the temperature is expected to drop below 0 degrees Celsius within the next 24 hours after the scheduled disconnect.
Alberta
The average home energy cost in Alberta is $0.166 per kWh, or $166 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage each month. This compares to $0.167 per kWh in 2020, or $167 per month.
The Alberta Utilities Commission publishes energy rate data, which we used in our model. The retail energy rate was derived using a simple average of all monthly regulated (uncapped) rates for Direct Energy, ENMAX Energy, and EPCOR Energy during the previous 9 months.
In prior years, we calculated the average cost of distribution costs, transmission charges, rate riders, local access fees, administrative charges, and other adjustment riders using a bottom-up calculation. This year, we used a top-down approach with a simplified computation based on a “average electricity bill in Alberta.” Before arriving at our final computed figures, we made assumptions for the fixed and variable portions of these fees.
British Columbia
The average home energy cost in British Columbia is $0.126 per kWh, or $126 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage each month. This is an increase from $0.124 per kWh in 2020, approximately $124 per month.
To calculate pricing in BC, we used tiered residential rates from BC Hydro and Fortis BC. Because both utilities bill on a 60-day cycle, monthly figures were calculated by dividing fixed customer prices and tier criteria by two. Each utility was given the same weighting.
Manitoba
The average home energy cost in Manitoba is $0.099 per kWh, or $99 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage each month. This is an increase from $0.096 per kWh in 2020, approximately $96 per month.
We used Manitoba Hydro’s normal home rate data to do our estimates.
New Brunswick
The average home energy cost in New Brunswick is $0.127 per kWh, or $127 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage each month. It costs the same as it did in 2020.
We utilized the average urban residential rates published by NB Power and Saint John Energy to compute power rates in New Brunswick. Each utility was given the same weighting.
Newfoundland & Labrador
In Newfoundland and Labrador, the average home power cost is $0.138 per kWh, or $138 per month, assuming 1,000 kWh of usage each month. It costs the same as it did in 2020.
In our estimates, we used residential rates issued by Newfoundland Power and Newfoundland Labrador Hydro. Each utility was given the same weighting.
Nova Scotia
The average home energy cost in Nova Scotia is $0.171 per kWh, or $171 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage each month. This is an increase from $0.150 per kWh in 2020, approximately $150 per month.
The data was compiled using domestic rates released by Nova Scotia Power, as well as the Fuel Adjustment Mechanism.
Northwest Territories
The average monthly cost of electricity in the Northwest Territories is $0.382 per kWh, or $382 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage. This compares to $0.387 per kWh in 2020, or $387 per month.
We used a weighted average of price data supplied by the Northwest Territories Power Corporation and Northland Utilities to calculate rates in the Northwest Territories. Our methodology effectively uses tiered pricing with a threshold of 800kWh per month to account for the Territorial Power Support Program (the average of the two seasonal allowances). Riders who needed to be adjusted were accommodated. We used both hydro and thermal rates.
Nunavut
The average monthly cost of electricity in Nunavut is $0.375 per kWh, or $375 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage. It costs the same as it did in 2020.
We used an average of all community prices published by Qulliq Energy Corporation, as well as the Nunavut Electricity Subsidy, in our calculations. Between the two seasons, the subsidy threshold was averaged.
Ontario
The average monthly cost of electricity in Ontario is $0.130 per kWh, or $130 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage. This is an increase from $0.125 per kWh in 2020, approximately $125 per month.
Our model is based on the Ontario Energy Board’s time-of-use rates, with 68 percent of consumption occurring off-peak, 18 percent mid-peak, and 18 percent on-peak. The revised Ontario Electricity Rebate is also taken into account.
Alectra Utilities, Atikokan Hydro, Centre Wellington Hydro, Hydro One, London Hydro, Niagara-on-the-Lake Hydro, Hydro Ottawa, Toronto Hydro, Veridian Connections, and Wasaga Distribution have averaged variable delivery and regulatory charges using the OEB Bill Calculator.
Prince Edward Island
The average monthly cost of electricity on Prince Edward Island is $0.174 per kWh, or $174 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage. This compares to $0.168 per kWh in 2020, or $168 per month.
We used the Maritime Electric tiered residential urban rates for our computations.
Qubec
The average monthly cost of electricity in Qubec is $0.073 per kWh, or $73 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage. It costs the same as it did in 2020.
Our calculations were based on Hydro-announced Qubec’s tiered residential pricing. We believed that everyday usage would be consistent.
Saskatchewan
The average monthly cost of energy in Saskatchewan is $0.181 per kWh, or $181 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage. This compares to $0.182 per kWh in 2020, or $182 per month.
Saskatchewan’s electricity is provided by three major utility companies: Saskpower, Saskatoon Light and Power, and Swift Current Light and Power. Rates differ slightly each utility, therefore we considered the average of all three in our calculations. The rates were based on standard city residential rate classes.
Yukon Territory
The average monthly cost of energy in the Yukon Territory is $0.187 per kWh, or $187 per month, based on 1,000 kWh of usage. This compares to $0.145 per kWh in 2020, or $145 per month.
We used the prices and riders issued by Yukon Energy and Atco Electric Yukon for our calculations, removing the tariffs for Old Crow. In our model, we used all three price tiers.
In Quebec, when is the ideal time to do laundry?
Wait until the dryer is full before running it since it takes less energy to dry one large load than numerous tiny ones. Use your dryer during off-peak hours throughout the colder months of the year. The busiest times are between 6 and 9 a.m. and 4 and 8 p.m.
Why is my Quebec hydro bill so high?
Because access to Magendie’s meter was obstructed, Thellen claimed Hydro-Qubec had approximated much of his use for the previous five to six years.
Only 15 of the 45 bills issued to Magendie during that time, according to Thellen, were based on actual consumption.
She explained that the rise reported by Magendie as a result of the new meters is the difference between estimated and actual consumption.
In Quebec, how are dwellings heated?
In Atlantic Canada, wood is a popular heating source: roughly one-third of households use it.
Wood and other solid fuels such as coal are used in seven houses. In Newfoundland and Labrador,
It is approximately one in every five households in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Natural gas is used to heat almost none of the residences in Atlantic Canada.
Natural gas has only been available since 2004 in this area. In every province
Natural gas has supplanted oil as the primary source of home heating west of Quebec.
It is the only fuel whose consumption has increased in the recent decade.
Natural gas is used to heat 97 percent of Alberta’s homes. Natural
In Manitoba and British Columbia, gas pipelines are plentiful, so
Natural gas is used to heat 60% of the homes in the area. Natural resources are also used by Ontarians.
As a primary source of heat, they rely on gas.
