Demand Response (DR) Option

Overview

If you were offered solutions to lower your electricity bill and contribute to the collective effort to reduce the carbon footprint of Québec’s economy, would you seize the opportunity?

Under the Demand Response (DR) Option, you can receive a credit at the end of the winter period if you reduce the power demand of your buildings and processes—and, by extension, the load on the power grid—during peak demand events (up to 100 hours).

Video: Find out how your organization can achieve significant savings starting this winter!

This video presents the many advantages of the Demand Response (DR) Option.

Duration: 1 minute 22 seconds

Video Transcription

Description: A white background with some graphic elements at the border of the screen and the words "The demand response option" are displayed.
Narration: Did you know that by applying a few simple measures,
Description: Three people in high-visibility vests and hard hats stand facing away from the camera on a construction site, looking toward a river, bridge and several buildings. Another screen then shows the same three people putting on personal protective equipment standing in a hallway, the screen cuts to one of them adjusting their helmet. A third screen shows the three people in high-visibility vests walking through a warehouse, their backs to the camera.
Narration: your organization could achieve significant savings on its electricity bill?
Description: The same white background with border graphics displays the words "DR option," then the words demand, response and option scroll across the screen one at a time.
Narration: When you sign up for the Demand Response (DR) Option,
Description: A 3D dollar sign rotates on the screen.
Narration: youʼll receive credits on your bill.
Description: The dollar sign then gets smaller to sit above a bar graph next to the words: Increase your profitability.
Narration: Youʼll increase the profitability of your business
Description: A microchip in the middle of the screen with circuits expanding outwards.
Narration: and be able to invest in other innovation projects.
Description: The screen shows an orange to blue colour gradient background with text in the middle: Reducing your electricity use.
Narration: The DR Option involves reducing your electricity use during winter peaks
Description:A panoramic, bird's-eye view of a city in winter-time shifts to a graphic displaying peaks and troughs of electricity use with pictures of various Hydro‑Québec facilities.
Narration: or shifting it to off-peak periods in order
Description: A white screen displays the words: Substantial savings.
Narration: to make substantial savings.
Description: A Hydro‑Québec worker is using a computer, before we cut to a shot of some machinery.
Narration: For instance, you can postpone the use of some of your equipment or rely on an alternative energy source.
Description: The words "Postpone or shift your electricity use" are displayed on a white background with the same graphic elements at the border.
Narration: Delaying or shifting your electricity use by a few hours in the winter
Description: A sheet of paper titled Bill, with the Hydro‑Québec logo, shows electricity costs and an increasing amount of DR credit, lowering the total cost of the bill from 26,425$ to 7,280$.
Narration: is all it takes to receive credits on your bill.
Description: A bird's-eye view of a dam with the words Decarbonize and Québec are shown with an arrow between them, pointing toward Québec. The arrow then shrinks and the words come together in the middle of the screen.
Narration: Helping to decarbonize Québec will generate tangible benefits for all Quebecers.
Description: Multiple scenes of Hydro‑Québec facilities scroll across the screen from right to left, we stop on a warehouse surrounded by trucks.
Narration: Hundreds of companies and organizations
Description: We cut to a bird's-eye view of snowy Trois-Rivières.
Narration: are already participating in the DR Option and benefitting financially.
Description: The Hydro‑Québec webpage displays the DR option with a Sign up button.
Narration: To save on your electricity bill next winter,
Description: We see the webpage displayed on a laptop, which then shifts to the left of the screen while the words "Go to the business section" are shown on the right side of the screen.
Narration: go to the Business section of our website to sign up for the DR Option.
Description: Three people with laptops sit at a table in a conference room.
Narration: Hydro‑Québec is here to support you.
Description: Three people in high-visibility vests and jackets walk through a warehouse. We then see them outside a building shaking hands.
Narration: Contact our experts and theyʼll help guide you through the process.
Description: On the orange to blue gradient background we see several Hydro‑Québec facilities with the words "Put your energy to work!" displayed.
Narration: Put your energy to work!
Description: On a solid blue background we see the words "Business solutions," which is followed by the Hydro‑Québec logo.
Narration: Hydro‑Québec Business Solutions

Advantages of the Demand Response (DR) Option

A credit on your electricity bill at the end of the winter period.
Other production lines can be used or less energy-intensive activities, such as maintenance, can be performed during peak demand events.
No new equipment to install (in most cases). However, financial assistance is also being offered for building automation equipment.

Sign my company up

Financial support to help you benefit from the Demand Response Option

To help you take full advantage of the Demand Response (DR) Option, Hydro‑Québec has put in place financial support specially designed to make it easier to participate in peak demand events.

Financial support for automation equipment

Take advantage of financial support for the purchase and installation of automation equipment for demand response measures: up to 90% of eligible costs for small businesses, and up to 75% of eligible costs for medium and large businesses.

Learn more about the financial support

Financial support for an energy analysis

Receive financial support of up to $60,000 to carry out an analysis that looks at both energy efficiency and demand response measures in order to optimize your energy consumption and management.

Explore energy analysis

What are peak demand events?

A peak demand event is a period of time indicated by Hydro‑Québec in the notification sent to the customer’s designated contacts and during which the customer must reduce their power demand. There could be a maximum of 100 hours called per winter.

Peak demand events can take place:

From Monday to Friday, between 6 and 9 a.m. and between 4 and 8 p.m.;
From December 1 to March 31, inclusive, excluding December 24, 25, 26 and 31, January 1 and 2, as well as Good Friday and Easter Monday when they fall within the winter period;
Up to twice a day, with a minimum interval of 7 hours between 2 events.

How it works

BEFORE the winter period

On the first and third Tuesdays in November every year, we will send a test email to all the people you have designated to receive peak demand event notifications so they can make sure the emails go through. These people must ensure that the following address is not blocked by your spam filters: hydroquebec@communication.hydroquebec.com.

BEFORE each peak demand event

Your designated contacts will be notified via email of the date and time the event will start and end:

No later than 3 p.m. on the business day preceding any peak demand event scheduled from 6 to 9 a.m.
No later than noon on the day of any peak demand event scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m.
No later than 3 p.m. on the business day preceding 2 peak demand events scheduled from 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. on the same day.

DURING a peak demand event

You implement the required curtailment measures, either by reducing or shifting your electricity consumption to another time or by using another source of energy.

AFTER the winter period

At the end of the winter period, you receive a credit based on the effective interruptible power, i.e., the average power reduction for all the peak demand events, provided that you comply with the applicable conditions.

Groupe Robert

Close to $500,000

credit on its electricity bills since signing up for the DR Option