Thunder Bay Hydro has asked the Ontario Energy Board for a rate hike, that if approved would add about $4.71 to the average customer’s monthly bill.
However, the publicly owned utility is giving the public a chance to have a say in the process through an online survey that began on Monday and concludes on Oct. 3.
Tim Wilson, Thunder Bay Hydro’s vice-president of customer and information services, said the survey is something new.
Last fall the company engaged with customers about its capital renewal plan, which has been in place since 2008. An online survey followed in the winter, which Wilson said showed Thunder Bay Hydro’s customers had a high degree of confidence in the way the utility was spending it’s capital allocations.
“But now we’re at the stage where there are bill impacts, which we didn’t really have before,” Wilson said. “We were talking more in generic terms of one to two per cent if we continue on this way, and were asking if this was reasonable.”
Thunder Bay Hydro is now at the point where it can tell customers just how much more they’ll have to pay – if the rate-hike is improved by the OEB.
The actual percentage is 1.5 to 1.6 per cent.
Wilson said every five years Thunder Bay Hydro must submit a distribution rate application, which is a little bit different than the annual rate adjustment the electricity producer seeks each year.
“It’s a much more detailed version of the application process,” Wilson said.
Consultations will give the public a chance to tell utility brass if they are happy with the way the company is investing its money.
There’s a little wiggle room, but not much.
“You’ll see by the wording of a couple questions that we’re looking for feedback on if this is reasonable for us to spend this amount in this way,” Wilson said.
“We’re giving customers the opportunity to say, ‘No, I prefer that maybe you spread that out.’”
Wilson said the OEB will be checking to see if the survey had any influence on Thunder Bay Hydro’s plan and if so, where.
“And if not, why not,” Wilson said. “We’ll have to come in and defend our position.”
The rate hike, if approved, would come into effect on May 1, 2017.
The survey can be found at www.tbhydro.com.
