The Public Utilities Board (Board) varied Manitoba Hydro’s request for an interim 5 per cent increase in General Consumers revenue and approved a 3.6 per cent interim increase in General Consumers Revenue, effective January 1, 2022.
The interim 3.6 per cent increase in General Consumers Revenue will be recovered through rate increases to Manitoba Hydro customers, where most fall within eight rate classes or subclasses, to address past and current under- and over-payment of costs by the customer classes. There will be no increase to the rates for certain customer classes in the Diesel Zone, or to Surplus Energy Program rates.
This increase recognizes the financial consequences of the drought experienced in Manitoba in 2021 and the Board’s objective to avoid rate shock by smoothing the rate increases to customers required to address the costs of major capital projects entering service.
This interim 3.6 per cent revenue increase will remain in effect until November 15, 2022, unless Manitoba Hydro has filed a General Rate Application by that date seeking rates for 2022/23 and for 2023/24 if it so chooses, and to confirm the 2021/22 interim rate increases.
This interim revenue increase will be thoroughly reviewed in the General Rate Application process with an application to be filed by Manitoba Hydro in 2022.
The PUB is an independent, quasi-judicial administrative tribunal that has broad oversight and supervisory powers over public utilities and designated monopolies, as set out in statute. The PUB considers both the impact to customers and financial requirements of the utility in approving rates.
