Montreal, May 20, 2022 - Option consommateurs is disappointed by the Régie de l'énergie's decision to authorize the agreement between Hydro-Québec and Energir, since it is the utility's customers who will have to pay more to compensate for the loss of revenue to a private company.
The agreement reached last July between the public utility and Energir aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by converting gas-fired heating systems to dual-energy. Hydro-Québec intends to compensate Quebec's natural gas distributor to the tune of several hundred million dollars for lost revenue.
Hydro-Québec customers will have to bear the brunt of this compensation since, according to the Régie, their bills will increase by 1.43% between now and 2030, on top of annual rate increases, which are already subject to strong inflationary pressure. We also note a strong dissent from one of the regulators, which casts serious doubt on the legality of the proposal.
What's more, as demonstrated during the hearing, there are more effective and less costly ways of achieving decarbonization targets.
"We're not against reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but we don't think consumers should pay for them. It's as if people had to compensate the oil companies because we want to put more electric vehicles on the road", argues Sylvie De Bellefeuille, lawyer and budget advisor.
Option consommateurs proposed, among other things, that the Régie ask Energir and Hydro-Québec to modify their proposal in order to respect the fundamental principle of rate neutrality, i.e. to ensure that the conversion to dual-energy has no impact on the rates paid by customers.
About Option consommateurs
Option consommateurs is a non-profit association whose mission is to defend the rights and interests of consumers. It focuses on issues related to personal finance, business practices, financial services, privacy, energy, debt and access to justice.
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For more information or an interview :
Marie-Ève Dumont, Communications Consultant
514-777-6133
