As though it were not bad enough to have to endure especially frigid temperatures recently, some residents of the province of Quebec are being warned their electrical bills will be higher. It gets cold enough in winter that homes are centrally heated with oil, natural gas or electricity.
The utility, Hydro Quebec, has issued a news release saying those who heat with electricity will see an increase for the December bill of about $12 for apartment-dwellers and $39 for those living in an average-sized house. It was very cold in January too but no word yet on what the bill for that month might look like.
Quebec has some of the lowest electricity costs in the country.
Heating may account for 55% of electrical bill
Most homes have a hot water constantly supplied by a tank which too, may be fuelled by electricity. Hydro notes that may account for 20 per cent of the total electricity bill, while heating of the home accounts for 55 per cent. The rest would consumed by lights, devices and appliances.
Hydro suggests people save electricity by lowering the temperature in their homes by a degree or two at night, and at all times in unused rooms (where they have separate controls.) It also suggests using plastic film on windows to stop drafts, and taking shorter showers and laundering in cold water.
Future temperatures unpredictable
Quebeckers generally have to heat their homes pretty much until the end of April and one never knows what the weather will bring.
Residents in the rest of Canada will have little sympathy for Quebec residents though, since they have the lowest cost for electricity due to massive hydro-electric dams in northern regions.
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