Demand Response Option The DR Option is changing
Starting in winter 2026–2027, Hydro‑Québec will offer business customers more ways to participate in peak demand events and earn credits on their bills. With two distinct versions—the DR Leeway Option and the DR Commitment Option—customers can choose a maximum number of hours in which to reduce their power demand each winter. Options range from 20 to 100 hours, with or without weekend events.
What this means for you
Intensified demand response
Hydro‑Québec will make greater use of demand response measures:
- Customers wishing to benefit from a DR option must be able to reduce their power demand during all selected hours.
- Customers enrolled in the DR Leeway Option will not be eligible for credits if they fail to reduce their power demand during more than 50% of peak demand events, or if their average effective interruptible power (EIP) is 10 kW or less.
- Customers enrolled in the DR Commitment Option must fulfill their commitment for the entire winter period; otherwise, charges (penalties) may be deducted from their credits.
Determining if peak demand event programming needs adjustment
To take advantage of the new rules that allow customers to customize their participation and earn credits that match their aims, customers may need to review their programming.
Differences between the DR options
Time periods
- Current DR Option
- Fixed
- DR Leeway Option
- Fixed
- DR Commitment Option
- Variable
Peak demand event hours per winter period
- Current DR Option
- Maximum of 100 hours
- DR Leeway Option
- 20 to 100 hours
- DR Commitment Option
- 20 to 100 hours
Peak demand event participation on weekends
- Current DR Option
- NA
- DR Leeway Option
- Possible
- DR Commitment Option
- Possible
Duration
- Current DR Option
- 3 or 4 hours
- DR Leeway Option
- 3 or 4 hours
- DR Commitment Option
- 4 to 5 hours
Predetermined time periods
- Current DR Option
- 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. or 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- DR Leeway Option
- 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. or 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- DR Commitment Option
- None
Events per day
- Current DR Option
- Up to 2, as requested by Hydro‑Québec
- DR Leeway Option
- Up to 2, as requested by Hydro‑Québec
- DR Commitment Option
- 1 or 2
Minimum interval between two peak demand events on any one day
- Current DR Option
- 7 hours
- DR Leeway Option
- 7 hours
- DR Commitment Option
- 4 hours (if 2 peak demand events per day)
Minimum interval between two peak demand events on two consecutive days
- Current DR Option
- 10 hours
- DR Leeway Option
- 10 hours
- DR Commitment Option
- 12 hours (if 1 peak demand event per day)
No later than 3 p.m. on the business day preceding a peak demand event scheduled for prior to 4 p.m.
- Current DR Option
- 15 hours
- DR Leeway Option
- 15 hours
- DR Commitment Option
- 9 hours*
No later than noon on the same day as a peak demand event scheduled for 4 p.m. or later
- Current DR Option
- 4 hours
- DR Leeway Option
- 4 hours
- DR Commitment Option
- 4 hours*
No later than 3 p.m. on the business day preceding 2 peak demand events scheduled for the same day
- Current DR Option
- 15 hours
- DR Leeway Option
- 15 hours
- DR Commitment Option
- 9 hours*
| Current DR Option | DR Leeway Option | DR Commitment Option | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terms | |||
| Time periods | Fixed | Fixed | Variable |
| Peak demand event hours per winter period | Maximum of 100 hours | 20 to 100 hours | 20 to 100 hours |
| Peak demand event participation on weekends | NA | Possible | Possible |
| Event duration and frequency | |||
| Duration | 3 or 4 hours | 3 or 4 hours | 4 to 5 hours |
| Predetermined time periods | 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. or 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. | 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. or 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. | None |
| Events per day | Up to 2, as requested by Hydro‑Québec | Up to 2, as requested by Hydro‑Québec | 1 or 2 |
| Minimum interval between two peak demand events on any one day | 7 hours | 7 hours | 4 hours (if 2 peak demand events per day) |
| Minimum interval between two peak demand events on two consecutive days | 10 hours | 10 hours | 12 hours (if 1 peak demand event per day) |
| Peak demand event notifications | |||
| No later than 3 p.m. on the business day preceding a peak demand event scheduled for prior to 4 p.m. | 15 hours | 15 hours | 9 hours* |
| No later than noon on the same day as a peak demand event scheduled for 4 p.m. or later | 4 hours | 4 hours | 4 hours* |
| No later than 3 p.m. on the business day preceding 2 peak demand events scheduled for the same day | 15 hours | 15 hours | 9 hours* |
*The notice period may be shortened under exceptional circumstances (e.g., freezing rain), but will always be at least two hours. In exchange, Hydro‑Québec will provide customers with a short‑notice credit.
Will programming need to be modified?
Here are some examples of programming challenges that may arise for customers who are already enrolled in the DR Option and are switching to the DR Leeway or DR Commitment Option.
Potential challenges:
- Programming: no modification needed.
- API: select the correct offer — for example, "LAT40H" instead of "GDP‑Affaires."
Recommended approach*: If you haven't already done so, implement programming (automation) for your demand response measures.
Update your API integration: Peak demand events – Available offers – Hydro‑Québec open data.
Application: Customers must be able to participate in peak demand events for all scheduled hours, depending on the selected sub‑option, to avoid a reduction in their applicable credit at the end of the winter period.
Potential challenges: Peak demand event frequency may affect thermal performance from the fourth consecutive event onwards, which could affect indoor comfort.
Recommended approach*: A +2°C/−2°C preheating and setback strategy could be adjusted to +2°C/−1.5°C for the fourth event and +2°C/−1°C for the fifth.
Application: Customers must be able to participate in weekend peak demand events as follows:
- Up to 100 hours, regardless of the number of hours selected, for the DR Leeway Option
- Between 20 and 100 hours for the DR Commitment Option
Potential challenges:
- Existing DR programming could cause overconsumption if building systems are normally in "unoccupied" mode on weekends, as they would be forced to start up for preheating.
- API: Ability to select two offers simultaneously, e.g., "LAT40H" and "FDS100H."
Recommended approach*: Cancel or modify the +2°C/−2°C preheating and setback strategy to avoid starting up major systems; instead, target only baseboard heaters, or apply a +0°C/−4°C strategy.
Application: Events may occur at any time on both weekdays and weekends, with no predetermined time periods, and can last from 4 to 5 hours.
Potential challenges: An event could occur from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by another from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Recommended approach*: Use a +2°C/−2°C preheating and setback strategy that can be scaled back to +0.5°C/−1°C, based on building occupancy rather than the event schedule, which is no longer fixed.
Application: Hydro‑Québec reserves the right to provide short notice to customers under exceptional circumstances.
For example, a notification could be issued as late as two hours prior to a peak demand event.
Potential challenges: In some buildings, two hours of preheating is insufficient to curtail power demand effectively while maintaining indoor comfort, particularly for morning events.
Recommended approach*: Use a +2°C/−2°C preheating and setback strategy that can be scaled back to +2°C/−0.5°C.
Application: A single customer who previously implemented demand response measures across all buildings simultaneously upon receiving a peak demand event notification (via email or API).
Potential challenges: A customer enrolling multiple buildings in options with varying terms may no longer be able to manage their power demand as a single batch and may therefore require measures to be enacted individually.
Recommended approach*: Update the user interface to allow for individual building selection or to enable buildings to be assigned to specific groups.
Update the API integration: Peak demand events – Available offers – Hydro‑Québec open data.
* Example for illustrative purposes only. Each building is unique.
Performance‑enhancing tools
Automating peak demand event responses with open data
So that preprogrammed demand response measures can be triggered automatically in buildings, Hydro‑Québec has made peak demand event signals and the associated offers available as open data through an application programming interface (API).
When new offers are introduced (including sub‑options that enable peak demand event participation on weekends), it is essential to update your Hydro‑Québec API integration solution for your automation system:
- Peak demand events – Available offers – Hydro‑Québec open data
- Peak demand events – Winter – Hydro‑Québec open data
A user guide and tech support team are available to help you develop your API integration module.
Support for using energy wisely
From the Action Plan to concrete results in demand response
Hydro‑Québec's Action Plan 2035 set the target of reducing demand by 3,500 MW. To achieve this, we encourage our customers to consume less and at the right time, focusing on energy efficiency and demand‑side management in winter.
Contact us
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