Quebec energy board cuts fees for smart-meter opt-out

Quebecs energy board is forcing Hydro-Qubec to slash the proposed fees charged to homeowners who opt to have the utility install a non-transmitting, manually readmeter instead of a smart meter.

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Hydro-Qubec's initial fee charged to those who wanted it to install a non-communicating meter, or one without a radio frequency, in place of a smart meterwas $98.

In May, it lowered those fees to $48, in additionto an $8-a-month charge tacked on to power bills.

Several groups, including the consumer advocacy organization Union des Consommateurs,asked the provincial energy board to investigate.

In a ruling released today, the Rgie de l'nergie found thateven the reduced fees were too high and ordered Hydro-Qubec to cut them by nearly 60 per cent.

Energy Minister Pierre Arcand said he was happy with the ruling, calling it a victory for consumers.

We dont need to penalize the consumer who use those kinds of meters, he said.

Hydro-Qubecwould not comment on the ruling.

Energy analyst Marc-OlivierMoisan-PlantesaidHydro-Qubeclikely set the fees higher than necessary in an effort to deter customers from refusing tohavesmart meters installed.

The ruling also includes a provision for customers who already opted out under the old fee structure. Hydro-Qubec will have to refund them the difference, plus interest.

Hydro-Qubec plans to replace 3.75 million analog meters across the province by 2018, for a total cost of close to a billion dollars.