Rate DT – Dual Energy
for residential and agricultural customers

When the temperature is above or equal to −12°C or −15°C, depending on the region.

When the temperature goes below −12°C or −15°C, depending on the region.

Your energy consumption is divided into two tiers. The first tier (1st tier), which is set at 40 kWh per day, or 1,200 kWh per month, is billed at a lower price than the second tier (2nd tier).

Electricity rate effective April 1, 2025.

Estimated cost of oil: $1.47/litre.

Consumption billed at the first‑tier price of Rate D at April 1, 2025, for consumption associated with central air‑conditioning, and the second‑tier energy price of Rate D for pool heating.

Consumption billed at lowest Rate DT price, as at April 1, 2025.

Any portion of a power line, not located along a public highway, extending the Hydro-Québec system to the connection point.

See the eligibility criteria regarding domestic rates for farms[PDF 693 Kb]

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.

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 factor that is applied to the system access charge, to the consumption at the various energy price tiers and to the base billing demand, as applicable depending on the rate.

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).

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).

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.

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

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

Period from April 1 through November 30, inclusive.

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.

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.

The dual-energy system in electrical mode uses an electric forced-air system, an electric boiler, a traditional central heat pump or a geothermal heat pump.

“Fuel as the auxiliary source” refers to a fuel such as natural gas, oil, propane or wood pellets that is used as a second source of energy to heat your home.

The dual-energy system in fuel mode must be able to keep your home warm during cold spells without the electrical mode being used at the same time.

A dual-energy heating system eligible for Rate DT automatically switches from one energy source to the other when it receives a signal from the outdoor-temperature sensor: electricity when the temperature is above or equal to –12°C or –15°C, depending on the region; fuel when the temperature goes below that critical threshold.

“Off-grid system” refers to a system that is not connected to Hydro‑Québec’s main grid. In this particular case, it refers to the systems in Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Clova, Obedjiwan or Île-d’Anticosti or one of the Nunavik systems. Rate DT (dual energy) is not available to homes and farms located in those regions.

The dual-energy system in electrical mode uses an electric forced-air system, an electric boiler, a traditional central heat pump or a geothermal heat pump.

“Fuel as the auxiliary source” refers to a fuel such as natural gas, oil, propane or wood pellets that is used as a second source of energy for your farm’s heating needs.

The dual-energy system in fuel mode must be able to keep the farm premises it serves warm without the electrical mode being used at the same time.

Comments:

1. The installed capacity of each dual-energy system must be no less than 50% of the installed capacity of the premises it serves.
2. The installed capacity of all premises that are not served by a dual-energy system must not exceed 10 kilowatts.

“Off-grid system” refers to a system that is not connected to Hydro‑Québec’s main grid. In this particular case, it refers to the systems in Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Clova, Obedjiwan or Île-d’Anticosti or one of the Nunavik systems. Rate DT (dual energy) is not available to homes and farms located in those regions.

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