Electric vehicle charging rate

EV charging stations must meet all the following criteria to participate in the EVC rate:

• Have at least one Direct Current Fast Charger (also referred to as a Level 3 charger).
• Ensure that at least 90 per cent of total monthly peak demand is attributable to EV charging, with auxiliary loads (e.g. lighting, etc.) not exceeding 10 per cent.
• Have a monthly peak demand between 50 kW and 4,999 kW.
• Have a 12-month average load factor of 20 per cent or less.
• Must not primarily serve commercial/public sector EV fleets.
• Any distributed energy resource behind the account’s meter must not exceed the account’s annual peak demand.

A “customer” refers to the owner or operator of an EV charging station whose facilities are connected to, or are intended to be connected to, an electricity distributor’s distribution system. A customer is not the end-user of the EV charging service, such as the driver of a vehicle that uses the EV charging station.

Personal or home EV chargers (i.e. attached to a house) are not eligible for this rate.

Hydro Ottawa customers must be in the General Service 50–1,499 kW or General Service 1,500–4,999 kW class to be eligible.

• On or near highways.
• On the site of a retail establishment, plaza, or shopping center.
• On the site of a municipal, university, school, or hospital building.
• On a site associated with a multi-unit residential building, such as a condominium.
• Or employee parking lots.

The EVC Rate aims to fill gaps in public charging infrastructure in underserved areas. The rate is designed to reduce the cost of electricity for public EV chargers in areas where demand for the service is only beginning to emerge, making it more economical to build charging infrastructure in more communities.

The EVC Rate reduces the RTSRs that participating EV charging station owners or operators would otherwise pay. RTSRs are part of the electricity bill.

Participating customers will pay 17 per cent of the RTSR that other customers in a distributor’s General Service 50 kW to 4,999 kW class will pay. In other words, if a customer’s base RTSR is $1.00/kW, it would instead pay $0.17/kW under the EVC Rate.

To apply for the EVC rate, complete and submit an opt-in form to Hydro Ottawa.

Have your electricity bill on hand to complete the form. You must enter the required information (i.e. name on the account, your 20-digit account number) exactly as it appears on your electricity bill. If your information is not entered as it appears on your bill, Hydro Ottawa may not be able to process your opt-in form.

How to submit your EVC rate opt-in form
Here’s the two-step process to send us your form:

1. Complete and save your form

• Click this EVC rate opt-in form link to open the fillable PDF.
• Complete all the required fields.
• Save the completed form to your computer (e.g., to your desktop).

2. Upload and submit your form

• Go to our Contact Us page: hydroottawa.com/contactus
• Under the “Subject” drop-down menu, select “EVC Rate”.
• Fill in your information on the page.
• Click the “Choose File” button to attach your form.
• Click “Submit” to send it to us.

You can also send us your completed form by mail

Mail:
Hydro Ottawa, PO Box 8700
Ottawa, ON K1G 3S4
Attn: Billing – EVC Rate Form

Hydro Ottawa will make the EVC rate available to eligible customers who have completed the opt-in form in early 2026. The implementation date of the EVC rate is dependent on the conclusion of Hydro Ottawa’s current rate application proceeding before the Ontario Energy Board. The EVC rate will be implemented, on a go-forward basis, once Hydro Ottawa receives the OEB’s approval and an effective date for its 2026 distribution rates.

EVC rate eligibility

You will remain enrolled for as long as the account continues to meet the eligibility requirements, and you may opt out of the EVC rate at any time.

If your account ceases to meet the eligibility requirements and no longer qualifies, you are required to notify Hydro Ottawa within 30 days. Once Hydro Ottawa is notified, the EVC rate will be removed from your account.

Hydro Ottawa will be reviewing the load factor eligibility for customers on an annual basis.