BC Hydro’s proposal to apply their 2024 rate increase across all segments of their tiered residential rate system has been rejected.
Electricity users in BC pay a basic daily rate, plus an energy charge based on useage, which is split into two pricing steps.
Under BC Hydro’s proposal, their annual rate increase would be applied to the daily rate and both of the steps equally.
That would mark an annual increase of between $60 and $244 for the customers with the most useage, and between $6 and $22 for those with the least.
But, high energy useage is not tied to income, and the increase was found to be problematic for low-income customers.
Instead, the BC Utilities Commission has directed them to apply all rate changes to the basic rate, and leave the upcharges untouched.
That would see rates for the highest users go up by $46 to $140, and those of the lowest users jump by between $8 and $26.
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