Google and environmental group to question Hydro-Québec consultants on data centres

Lawyers representing Google and an environmental coalition are set to question Hydro-Québec consultants today as the first part of a hearing on data centres wraps.

Quebec’s energy regulator, the Régie de l’énergie, will also question the experts as part of the public hearing on proposed rate hikes for data centres.

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Hydro-Québec is asking the regulator to consider a new electricity rate for data centres that require a capacity of over five megawatts.

The new rate would raise energy prices to an average of 13 cents per kilowatt hour, which the utility says is around twice as much as what data centres pay as large-power customers.

On Thursday, two consultants hired by Hydro-Québec say they expect the demand from data centres to more than double between 2024 and 2030 — mostly because of the growing AI industry.

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The hearing is scheduled to continue in December, when industry actors will present their own perspectives on the proposed rates.