Our main achievements in 2010
Customers
Hydro-Québec provides high-quality services adapted to the needs of its various customers. The company's goal is to fulfill its mission with stable, competitive rates, fair treatment for its customers and a reasonable return to its shareholder.
In 2010, the economy rebounded more vigorously in Québec than in the rest of North America. Increased business activity and investment renewal gave rise to higher-than-expected sales to our commercial and industrial customers.
Despite the more favorable economy, many residential customers had payment difficulties that required increased collection activity. Hydro-Québec employs various means to help residential customers with their payment difficulties:
- We reach payment arrangements with low-income customers.
- Our collection personnel receive training on the difficulties experienced by low-income customers.
- We have set up communication channels with elected representatives' offices and consumer associations.
- We maintain or restore winter service (December 1 to March 31) for residential customers with electric heating who are having difficulty with payments.
In addition, Hydro-Québec complies with the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information.
Protection of personal information
Our main achievements in 2010
Residential, commercial and business customers
Rates: In March, the Régie de l'énergie approved an across-the-board rate increase of 0.35% to take effect on April 1, 2010. For the period from April 1, 2011, to March 31, 2012, the Régie asked Hydro-Québec for an across-the-board decrease of 0.41%. This reduction was made possible by the company's efforts to control operating expenses and improve its efficiency.
Comparison of Electricity PricesRemote meter-reading project: Hydro-Québec launched a pilot project to test computer system compatibility with an advanced metering infrastructure. This first step will be followed in 2011 by the testing of 27,000 smart meters. The ultimate aim of the project is to replace some 3.7 million meters that will soon reach the end of their service life. The advanced metering infrastructure project will support real-time facility and load management, remote service interruption and restoration, and fraud detection.
End of the Time It Right project: The goal of this project, which lasted two years, was to study the impact on power consumption habits of a variable rate option based on time-of-day and season-of-use. With this type of rate structure, electricity is more expensive during peak-demand periods and less expensive during off-peak periods. The project concluded that only modest savings were realized by the participants, corroborating the results of similar pilot projects in the United States and Europe. Hydro-Québec will review the offer of an optional dynamic rate system in the coming years.
Time It Right rate projectOnline billing: an additional 76,717 customers chose to receive online bills; a total of 3,833,483 bills are not printed by Hydro-Québec every year.
Online Billing
- Sustainability Report 2010, p. 34-35
Low-income customers and those with payment difficulties
Low-income customers: 41,161 payment arrangements were reached with low-income customers for a total of $213.6 million, including 4,420 long-term arrangements ($5.4 million) that offer debt reduction and, in some cases, a reduction in the current energy cost.
Residential customers with payment difficulties: Hydro-Québec made payment arrangements with residential customers that helped settle 174,108 overdue accounts totaling $403.5 million.
Hydro-Québec has earmarked $27.7 million in 2011 to support its commitment to low-income customers. This amount is divided as follows:
- $15.3 million for energy efficiency measures for these customers, including $7 million for a new initiative to replace power-guzzling refrigerators
- $12.4 million for collection services and services for low-income customers
- Sustainability Report 2010, p. 34-35
| Portfolio of collection solutions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
| Arrangements for low-income customers | 22,670 | 21,909 | 32,107 | 41,161 | ||
| Target | 22,200 | 23,800 | 24,700 | 24,800 | ||
- The difficult economic conditions in 2009 meant that collection activities increased. In 2010, new eligibility criteria enabled more customers to benefit from personalized agreements.
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