Rate DP

Method of measuring energy consumed with a separate meter for each residential or commercial unit in a building.

Method of measuring energy consumed with a single meter instead of separate meters for an entire multiunit commercial or residential building. The building owner is responsible for dividing the costs between the occupants.

A set amount, expressed in dollars per month or cents per day depending on the applicable rate, that the customer must pay for the electricity service.

Beginning April 1, 2019, the term fixed charge was replaced with system access charge.

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).

Energy (kWh) = power (kW) x time used (h).

Period from December 1 through March 31 of the next year, inclusive.

Period from April 1 through November 30, inclusive.

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

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).

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).

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).

Amount of electricity that Hydro-Québec supplies to a customer, expressed in kilovoltamperes (kVA). When it is used, apparent power breaks down into real power (kW), which runs devices, and reactive power (kVAR), which produces magnetic fields and which is not useful power for the customer.

The minimum amount of power that customers must pay for each consumption period, regardless of their electricity use. The threshold is set so that customers pay their share of the costs Hydro‑Québec incurs to meet their power needs at all times. The minimum billing demand is determined by the conditions of each rate, as indicated in the Electricity Rates.

• For all rates except Rate L, the minimum billing demand is automatically determined based on the previous winter’s maximum power demand.
• Rate L customers must set their own minimum billing demand, called “contract power,” based on their projected electricity use.

Electricity rate effective April 1, 2025.

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

Operation that involves increasing or decreasing voltage through a transformer.

Period during which electricity is delivered to the customer and which extends between the two dates used by Hydro‑Québec for calculation of the bill.

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.

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