B.C. Hydro customers face 3.75% rate increase for next 2 years

Katie DeRosa · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 17, 2025 3:03 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

B.C. Hydro customers tin expect a complaint summation this twelvemonth and next, which volition adhd $3.75 per period to the mean household bill, according to the province. 

B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix issued a directive to the B.C. Utilities Commission to summation hydro rates by 3.75 per cent a twelvemonth for the adjacent 2 years.

"We indispensable instrumentality urgent enactment to support British Columbians from the uncertainty posed by rising costs portion gathering a strong, robust and resilient energy strategy for the payment of B.C.͛s semipermanent vigor independence," Dix said successful a statement.

Dix said adjacent with the complaint increase, British Columbians have among the lowest energy rates successful North America, paying astir fractional of what Albertans pay. The complaint hike stays beneath cumulative inflation, helium said. 

For an mean residential household, which pays astir $100 a period for vigor and electricity, the complaint summation volition mean an other $3.75 per month.

The summation takes effect April 1.

"The complaint stableness absorption from the state volition supply customers and increasing industries with the certainty they request during these times, portion ensuring our rates stay affordable," B.C. Hydro's CEO Chris O'Riley said successful a statement. "The complaint accommodation volition spell toward supporting captious investments successful our strategy that volition guarantee we support our presumption arsenic a person successful renewable energy, encouraging wide economical maturation and occupation creation."

The state said B.C. Hydro is facing rising operating costs owed to inflation, added costs related to the Site C hydroelectric task coming into service and infrastructure costs related to boosting B.C.'s electrical grid. 

Dix noted that B.C. Hydro offers a lawsuit situation fund, which provides grants to those in temporary fiscal crisis. An additional $1.9 cardinal has been added to the fund, which is expected to assistance astir 4,700 households between
present and April 2026.