The cost of electricity in Quebec will be going up, but the rate hike won’t be as high as Hydro-Quebec would have liked.
Hydro Quebec had asked the Regie de L’energie, the board that sets the price of electricity, for an average increase of 5.8 per cent across the board with the exception of industrial clients, who would see a 5-per-cent increase.
Hydro has cited the cost of buying power from new wind farms as one of the main reasons for the requested increase.
In a decision made public Thursday, the energy board granted Hydro a 3.5-per-cent rate increase for its industrial clients, and a 4.3-per-cent hike for its other rates.
The change will take effect April 1.
