Residential Hydro-Quebec subscribers will not have to wash their dishes at night in the short term to save on their electricity rates, Premier François Legault said on Friday.
In a conference concluding a meeting of his deputies in anticipation of the return to parliament scheduled for Tuesday, Mr. Legault declared that his government will first review the tariffs granted to businesses.
“When I tell you that Pierre Fitzgibbon wants to table a bill in the fall, it’s for business rates,” said the Premier. We haven’t reached the prices of individuals, residences or consumers. »
Last December, the Minister of Economy and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, explained his desire to modulate electricity rates according to peak consumption periods.
“We consumers may have to change our habits,” he explained. Wash the dishes, we’ll do it at midnight. »
Mr. Fitzgibbon had not ruled out the possibility of including a modulation of residential rates in a bill on Hydro-Quebec.
On Thursday, Mr. Legault ruled out the possibility that such changes for residential rates would be included in the bill expected this fall.
“Will we ever get there? Possibly. This is done in Scandinavian countries. But this is not in our intentions in the short term. We can start, because that’s the bulk of the volume, with companies. »
Mr. Legault affirmed that Quebecers must be given time to adapt to the demands imposed by the imminent end of Hydro-Québec’s electricity surpluses.
“The current situation is new,” he said. When I arrived four years ago, [l’ex-président-directeur général d’Hydro-Québec] Éric Martel said that we have surplus electricity for the next 20 years. Quebecers have heard that. »
More details will follow.