Power use drops in the United States
- A recent drop in the use of electricity in the United States has utilities concerned.
Utility companies rely on an annual growth of about 1 percent to 2 percent in electricity consumption for their businesses. However, recent trends have shown a decrease, the Virginian-Pilot reported.
Decreasing consumption could change how utilities operate and their plans for the future.
Utilities are expected to invest $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion by 2030 to modernize their systems and meet future demand, according to an industry-funded study by the Brattle Group. If electricity demand continues to decline, however, utilities would be forced to make significant adjustments in their investment plans or build too much capacity.
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Class-action lawsuit: Hydro-Québec overcharged customers up to $1.2B
MONTREAL - A group representing Hydro-Québec customers has filed a motion for a class-action lawsuit against the public utility, alleging it overcharged customers over a five-year period.
Freddy Molima, one of the representatives of the Coalition Peuple allumé, accuses Hydro-Québec of "abusing its monopoly."
The motion, which was filed in Quebec Superior Court, claims Hydro-Québec customers paid more than they should have for electricity between 2008 and 2013, to the tune of nearly $1.2 billion.
The coalition has so far recruited nearly 40,000 participants online as part of its plan to sue the public utility.
A lawyer representing the group said Quebec's energy board, the Régie de l'énergie, also recently approved Hydro-Québec…
