BC Hydro pitches alternate payment plan

BC Hydro is pitching a plan that could bring fees down for some users if they shift their power usage to off-peak times.

"We know that customers' electricity consumption habits are changing and many of our customers have told us they're looking for more choice and opportunities to save on their bill," said BC Hydro spokesperson Mora Scott.

BC Hydro has applied to the BC Utilities Commission to allow for the introduction of an optional "time of use" rate.

The new rate would let customers pay different electricity fees for different parts of the day.

"We've heard very clearly from our customers that they are interested in more choice," said Scott. "That's why these time of use rates will be optional if they are approved."

HOW IT WORKS

Under the optional program, BC Hydro would break each day into four zones.

Electricity fees would remain the same as current rates for the periods of 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

BC Hydro would charge five cents more per kilowatt hour for the peak time of 4 p.m. until 9 p.m., but charge five cents less than the normal rate for electricity used overnight from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

The energy provider says the biggest savings would be for those charging their electric vehicles at home, saving between $40 and $240 a year to charge vehicles as they sleep, instead of right after work.

Joel MacDonald, founder of energyrates.ca, says BC Hydro wants to make the transition the same way other utilities across the country have.

"There's lots of advantages to having consumers or end users use more electricity in off-peak times," he said.

But MacDonald says the five cent discount is nowhere near Ontario's overnight discount of more than 20 cents.

"This first iteration of this plan with BC Hydro is just not quite the incentive that is needed for the mainstream user to make that move," he said.

If the utilities commission allows for the program, BC Hydro says it would likely be introduced sometime in April 2024.