Hydro-Québec customers pay Energir customers who abandon natural gas heat to switch to dual energy.
The ruling came from a superior court in favor of Hydro-Québec, which challenged a decision taken by the Régie de l'Energie on its agreement with Energir on dual power. The agreement provided that the state company would pay financial compensation for the gas distributor's loss of revenue and raise electricity prices to recover this compensation.
The initial favorable decision by the Régie de l'énergie was opposed in particular by industrial users and environmental groups. The Régie reversed its first decision and prevented Hydro-Québec from raising its rates to absorb the amounts paid to Énergir.
Rarely, Hydro-Québec contested this second decision by Régie de l'Energy in the Superior Court, which had just ruled in its favor.
The agreement between Hydro-Québec and Energir to encourage natural gas customers to switch to electricity-natural gas dual energy will increase electricity prices by 1.4%, in addition to normal annual increases. By 2050, Energir could take $2.4 billion from electricity prices to offset the loss of revenue.
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