Lawsuit against B.C. Hydro? Co-defendant B.C. Utilities Commission?

Is a group action lawsuit the only way to get their attention?...

Probably.

It's time to get serious.

Last October's implementation of the electric utility Step 2 Conservation Rate had onerous implications for folks in predominantly rural areas.

Why? Because natural gas isn't available in their area--or on their street.
Deregulation in other industries such as telecommunications has led to choice for consumers. Not so with customers of B.C. Hydro who have no access to natural gas!

It's impossible for this writer to ascertain just how many British Columbians have no access to gas but since the massive switch by consumers to natural gas over the last 20 years, we are undoubtedly in the minority.

Using my residence as an example--where natural gas is available both east and west of my location (but not at the roadfront)--Step 1 is billed at just shy of 6 cents per kilowatt hour to a maximum of approximately 1,376 kilowatt hours monthly. Usage beyond that is charged at one-third more...at .0827 cents.

This abuse of B.C. Hydro's monopoly, sanctioned by the B.C. Utilities Commission via their approval of rates, is tantamount to an abuse of authority. Not noble efforts to stem the impact on climate change!

You'll ask "have you contacted hydro and the utilities commission to resolve the issue?" Representatives either don't have the authority to even pass along a concern--or don't know to whom it should be passed to--or feel it remains a fair system in their opinion.

The little guy has never felt smaller than when wondering how to convince the big guys of such a travesty of procedural fairness and justice.

My contention is that Step 2 is an erroneously applied penalty rate because customers who have no access to natural gas cannot possibly keep electrical usage within the narrow confines of Step 1.

Now to find somebody to run the gauntlet...