Home »
Electricity Affordability Credit begins April 15
BC Hydro customers have been notified of the B.C. Electricity Affordability Credit and will start to see the credit applied to their first bill after April 15.
The credit will be automatically calculated and divided over their BC Hydro bills during the next 12 months, providing residential customers with savings of $100.
There is no need to apply for the credit as it will be applied automatically. Customers with more than one account will receive a credit on each account.
To be eligible for the credit, customers must have an active account as of March 31, 2024.
Beginning April 1, as approved by the BC Utilities Commission, electricity bills will increase by 2.3%. However, the B.C. Electricity Affordability Credit announced by the province in the February 2024 Budget will more than offset this increase, stated a Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation media release.
BC Hydro rates continue to remain among the lowest in North America, and for six consecutive years in a row, BC Hydro has kept rate increases below the rate of inflation, the ministry said.
“In total, BC Hydro rates are currently 15.6% lower than the cumulative rate of inflation over the past seven years (starting 2017-18). In addition, rates are currently 12.4% lower than what they would have been under the previous government’s 10-year rates plan.”
The credit is also available to customers of non-BC Hydro electricity utilities, including FortisBC and municipal utilities.
The province has entered into agreements with these utilities to ensure their ratepayers receive comparable credits.
Lead image: A BC Hydro crew replacing telephone poles near Wasa. e-KNOW file photo
e-KNOW
