Are Quebecers being charged six cents a day by Hydro Quebec for a service made obsolete by smart meters? Bernard Drainville thinks so.
There are three million homes in the province equipped with Hydro Quebec's new smart meters, which computerize the meter-reading process so no one needs to come to your home and take note of your consumption.
So PQ MNA Drainville is wondering why people with smart meters are still being charged six cents a day, 365 days a year for a fee called meter reading that he says should no longer apply.
Bernie Figura, who has a smart meter, says if that's the case, he's not impressed. He believes he’s been paying more for his electricity since the meter was installed.
“As a retired individual, any extra money we're paying for that's not required, I think should be given back,” he said.
Hydro Quebec spokesperson Patrice Lavoie says no one with a smart meter is paying a double charge. He did say the new meters do come with other costs, including having to transmit consumption data and having to transmit the data to the billing system in order for you to have your bill at home.
Those costs are included in the $40.64 everyone pays on every bill, an amount that hasn't changed in the past 10 years, he said.
Hydro Quebec says Quebecers are saving $26 million with these smart meters, which in turn helps bring down the rates. But Quebec's Resource Minister Pierre Arcand says he's looking into the fee, and if need be will make the necessary changes.
