Régie de l'énergie du Québec

The Régie de l'énergie du Québec regulates energy prices in the province. The Act respecting the Régie de l'énergie, assented on 23 December 1996, created it, and it began work in June 1997. After public hearings it fixes the rates and conditions on which Hydro-Québec supplies and transmits electricity, and it sets the rates of natural gas distributors. It also approves their resource plans and investment projects and hears consumer complaints about rates and service.

In case R-4333-2026 the Régie is weighing Hydro-Québec's proposed data-centre rate, Tarif CD. Public hearings ran from 1 to 9 October 2026, and further sessions are set for 7 to 11 and 15 to 18 December; no ruling on the merits had been issued by mid-October. The rate would cover sites committing to 5,000 kW or more. Each would pay C$32.70 a month for every kilowatt of billed demand, 8.71 cents per kilowatt-hour and a premium of C$92.28 a kilowatt if its peak stayed below 60% of the contracted forecast for 12 months.

Quebec is not alone in Canada: Ontario is weighing a similar full-cost approach in its draft data-centre playbook.