Rate G9

Structure of Rate G9

Billing for Rate G9 includes the following:

  • An amount for the energy in kilowatthours (kWh) consumed during the period in question.
  • An amount for the billing demand in kilowatts (kW).

Rate G9 is a monthly rate, which means the amount billed for power is based on a 30‑day period.

If applicable, the following may lower your bill:

Credit for supply at medium or high voltage

Hydro‑Québec’s rates assume that electricity will be supplied at low voltage. If you have equipment to step down the voltage of the electricity delivered to you or if you use electricity at medium voltage or high voltage, that means reduced costs for Hydro‑Québec. In return, you receive a monthly credit on your demand charge. The credit is determined according to the supply voltage.

Adjustment for transformation losses

Hydro‑Québec bills you only for the electricity you use, regardless of where it is metered in relation to the transformer substation. If metering occurs before transformation, the electricity billed will include transformation losses. So that you do not pay for losses, Hydro‑Québec grants an adjustment of per kilowatt (kW) on the billing demand.

The following may also be billed if your power factor is not optimal:

Charge for low power factor

Electrical equipment, whether yours or Hydro‑Québec’s, needs to operate at a relatively stable voltage. Hydro‑Québec’s rate structure is designed in such a way as to encourage large‑power customers to maintain a power factor of at least 95% at all times (90% for all other customers).

When Rate G9 customers make less than optimal use of the electricity provided and have a power factor below 90%, Hydro‑Québec is forced to supply them with additional power and handle the impacts on the power system.

The rate structure allows for Hydro‑Québec to bill the excess power to customers. For any difference between the maximum power demand and real power, a monthly charge of per kilowatt (kW) is billed. This charge brings the cost associated with an insufficient factor to that which a Rate M customer pays. This provides all medium‑power customers with the same incentive to improve their load factor.

Learn more about your electricity rate

Rate G9 prices in effect

Breakdown of billing

Applicable in certain cases

  • Credit for supply at medium or high voltage
    • Voltage of 5 kilovolts (kV) to less than 15 kV /kW
    • Voltage of 15 kV to less than 50 kV /kW
    • Voltage of 50 kV to less than 80 kV /kW
    • Voltage of 80 kV to less than 170 kV /kW
    • Voltage of 170 kV or more /kW
  • Adjustment for transformation losses /kW
  • Charge for low power factor /kW

If little or no electricity is used, a minimum charge is billed. It is per month (30 days) when single-phase electricity is delivered or per month when three-phase electricity is delivered.

Rates in effect as of April 1, . This table does not replace the Electricity Rates document in any way whatsoever.

More information

This information has been simplified. For more details about Rate G9, consult Section 2 of Chapter 4 of the Electricity Rates [PDF 2.31 MB].

Other useful information

How to request electricity service

Power demand

Power a customer requires to meet energy needs at a given time. The higher the customer’s energy consumption at a given time, the higher the power demand.

Power

Total amount of electricity supplied at a given time. Expressed in kilowatts (kW), power is the combined effect of voltage, expressed in kilovolts (kV), and current, expressed in amperes (A).

Energy

Power used by electrical equipment over a given period of time. Expressed in kilowatthours (kWh), energy is calculated as power, expressed in kilowatts (kW), multiplied by the time during which the power is used, expressed in hours (h).

The formula for energy is as follows: energy (in kilowatthours) is equal to power (in kilowatts) multiplied by duration of use (in hours).

Load factor (LF)

Relationship between the energy (in kilowatthours) actually consumed and the amount of energy that can be consumed by using the entire maximum power demand throughout the consumption period. The load factor indicates the utilization rate of maximum power demand for a given consumption period.

  • Low voltage: Voltage of 750 volts (V) or less.
  • Medium voltage: Voltage of more than 750 V, but less than 44 kilovolts (kV).
  • High voltage: Voltage of 44 kV or more.

Voltage

Difference in electrical level between two points, expressed in volts (V).

Transformation

Operation that involves increasing or decreasing voltage through a transformer.

Power factor

Ratio of real power (in kW) and apparent power (in kVA). The power factor is expressed as a percentage and indicates the efficiency with which the customer uses the electricity provided. Hydro‑Québec encourages its customers to maintain a power factor of at least 90% or 95%, depending on their rate.

Maximum power demand

Maximum power measured during a consumption period. It is the higher of the following two values: real power in kilowatts (kW), or a percentage (90% for domestic rates and small- and medium-power rates, or 95% for large‑power rates) of the apparent power in kilovoltamperes (kVA).

Real power

Amount of electricity consumed in a useful manner to operate equipment, such as a motor or a heating or lighting system. Real power is expressed in kilowatts (kW).

Monthly periods

Period of 30 days, which may begin on any day of the month, established by Hydro‑Québec for billing purposes.

Minimum charge (minimum monthly bill)

Minimum amount billable for electricity service even if little or no electricity has been used in the billing period.

Rate

Electricity rate effective April 1, .