{
    "meta": {
        "title": "Quebec Energy-Regulation Tracker for Bitcoin Mining",
        "description": "The Quebec energy instruments and proceedings that govern Bitcoin-mining electricity: Hydro-Québec Rate CB (mandatory at 50 kW+ blockchain load, 18.767 ¢/kWh outside an allocation), the proposed Rate CB adjustment (~19.5 ¢ average) and new Rate CD for data centres 5 MW+ (~13 ¢) now before the Régie de l'énergie, Bill 69 (2025, c.24) ministerial 5 MW / 50 kW gate, Bill 2 (2023, c.1) domestic-rate cap, and the suspended dedicated allocation block. 6 instruments, each with its primary source and review dates.",
        "generated": "2026-07-23T12:28:19+00:00",
        "version": "1.0",
        "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
        "license_name": "CC BY 4.0",
        "source": "https://d-central.tech/quebec-bitcoin-mining-hub/",
        "record_count": 6,
        "last_reviewed": "2026-07-15",
        "next_review": "2026-10-01",
        "related_datasets": {
            "hydro-quebec-rates": "https://d-central.tech/hydro-quebec-electricity-rates/",
            "canada-mining-regulations": "https://d-central.tech/canada-bitcoin-mining-rules/"
        },
        "disclaimer": "This dataset tracks Quebec energy instruments and proceedings affecting Bitcoin mining as of the review date; rates and rules change and the rate cases below are ongoing. Not legal, tax or investment advice — confirm the current instrument with Hydro-Quebec, the Regie de l'energie and the Quebec statutes before relying on it."
    },
    "rows": [
        {
            "instrument": "Rate CB — Rate for Cryptographic Use Applied to Blockchains (Hydro-Québec Electricity Rates, Chapter 7)",
            "type": "tariff",
            "status": "in_force",
            "price_or_effect": "18.767 ¢/kWh on all consumption other than an authorized allocation — a miner with no allocation pays this on every kWh. Inside an authorized allocation: 6.292 / 4.666 ¢/kWh (medium power) or 4.324 ¢/kWh (large power). During a curtailment, consumption above the reduced cap is billed at $1.038/kWh. Effective April 1, 2026.",
            "threshold": "Mandatory for any annual contract with 50 kW or more of installed capacity dedicated to cryptographic use applied to blockchains (Art. 7.1). Such a customer cannot elect Rate L or Rate M and is barred from the Industrial Revitalization Rate, Economic Development Rate and Load Retention Rate.",
            "filed_date": null,
            "hearing": null,
            "decision_expected": null,
            "effect_on_miners": "A new Quebec miner with no grandfathered allocation bills its entire draw at 18.767 ¢/kWh — roughly 4.9× Rate L (3.821 ¢) — and is locked out of the cheap industrial rates. Authorized demand is frozen (Art. 7.2) and service is non-firm: curtailable to 5% of peak for up to 300 h per rate-year on 2 h notice (Art. 7.9).",
            "primary_source_url": "https://www.hydroquebec.com/data/documents-donnees/pdf/electricity-rates.pdf",
            "last_reviewed": "2026-07-15",
            "next_review": "2026-10-01"
        },
        {
            "instrument": "Proposed Rate CB adjustment (3-year transitional pricing for existing cryptographic-use customers)",
            "type": "tariff",
            "status": "under_hearing",
            "price_or_effect": "Would raise Rate CB to an average of about 19.5 ¢/kWh under a 3-year transitional pricing plan for current Rate CB customers.",
            "threshold": "Existing customers already billed under Rate CB (cryptographic use applied to blockchains).",
            "filed_date": "2026-02-19",
            "hearing": "Régie de l'énergie — hearing Fall 2026",
            "decision_expected": "Late 2026 / early 2027 (being challenged)",
            "effect_on_miners": "Existing Quebec miners on Rate CB would see their rate rise toward ~19.5 ¢/kWh on average over a 3-year transition. Proposed and contested — not yet approved by the Régie.",
            "primary_source_url": "https://news.hydroquebec.com/news/press-releases/all-quebec/hydro-quebec-proposing-regie-energie-new-rate-large-data-centres-adjustment-rate-cryptographic-use-applied-blockchains.html",
            "last_reviewed": "2026-07-15",
            "next_review": "2026-10-01"
        },
        {
            "instrument": "Rate CD — proposed rate for large data centres (≥5 MW)",
            "type": "tariff",
            "status": "under_hearing",
            "price_or_effect": "About 13 ¢/kWh on average — roughly double the current large-power rate.",
            "threshold": "New data-centre projects of 5 MW or more, and any data centre currently supplied by Hydro-Québec with authorized maximum power of 5 MW or more. A large mining or AI hashcenter ≥5 MW is in scope.",
            "filed_date": "2026-02-19",
            "hearing": "Régie de l'énergie — hearing Fall 2026",
            "decision_expected": "End 2026 / early 2027 (requested effective 2026-11-01; operators intend to challenge)",
            "effect_on_miners": "A Bitcoin-mining or AI hashcenter of 5 MW or more would be moved onto Rate CD at ~13 ¢/kWh — about 2× today's large-power price. Proposed; the requested effective date is Nov 1, 2026, subject to the hearing.",
            "primary_source_url": "https://news.hydroquebec.com/news/press-releases/all-quebec/hydro-quebec-proposing-regie-energie-new-rate-large-data-centres-adjustment-rate-cryptographic-use-applied-blockchains.html",
            "last_reviewed": "2026-07-15",
            "next_review": "2026-10-01"
        },
        {
            "instrument": "Bill 69 — An Act to ensure the responsible governance of energy resources and to amend various legislative provisions (2025, chapter 24)",
            "type": "statute",
            "status": "in_force",
            "price_or_effect": "Not a price. Hydro-Québec or any supplier must obtain authorization from the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy (MEIE) before serving 5 MW or more to a requester that has no financial-commitment agreement predating December 2, 2022; the Minister may attach economic, social and environmental conditions. The Minister also holds approval authority over crypto-mining electricity demands of 50 kW or more.",
            "threshold": "≥5 MW new supply (without a pre-December 2, 2022 commitment agreement); and crypto-mining electricity demands of ≥50 kW.",
            "filed_date": "2025-06",
            "hearing": null,
            "decision_expected": null,
            "effect_on_miners": "Grid access for large loads is now a discretionary ministerial gate, not just a tariff. A new Quebec mining or AI site ≥5 MW needs MEIE authorization (which can carry conditions), and any crypto-mining demand ≥50 kW is subject to ministerial approval — on top of Rate CB and the frozen allocation. Adopted (assented) June 2025.",
            "primary_source_url": "https://www.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/Fichiers_client/lois_et_reglements/LoisAnnuelles/en/2025/2025C24A.PDF",
            "last_reviewed": "2026-07-15",
            "next_review": "2026-10-01"
        },
        {
            "instrument": "Bill 2 — An Act mainly to cap the indexation rate for Hydro-Québec domestic distribution rate prices (2023, chapter 1)",
            "type": "statute",
            "status": "in_force",
            "price_or_effect": "Caps the annual indexation of Hydro-Québec DOMESTIC (residential) distribution rate prices. Included for completeness — low direct relevance to miners.",
            "threshold": "Domestic / residential rates only.",
            "filed_date": "2023",
            "hearing": null,
            "decision_expected": null,
            "effect_on_miners": "Does NOT set the miner's rate. Miners are on Rate CB (or a commercial rate such as G or M), not domestic Rate D, so this cap does not lower a mining operation's power cost. Listed for completeness only.",
            "primary_source_url": "https://www.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/Fichiers_client/lois_et_reglements/LoisAnnuelles/en/2023/2023C1A.PDF",
            "last_reviewed": "2026-07-15",
            "next_review": "2026-10-01"
        },
        {
            "instrument": "Dedicated blockchain / crypto electricity allocation block (Rate CB)",
            "type": "allocation",
            "status": "suspended",
            "price_or_effect": "A dedicated block of electricity — reported at roughly 300 MW (a figure Hydro-Québec now describes as under reassessment) — was reserved by the Régie de l'énergie for blockchain / cryptographic use at Rate CB. The process for granting NEW allocations from that block is suspended.",
            "threshold": "Blockchain / crypto customers seeking authorized capacity at Rate CB.",
            "filed_date": null,
            "hearing": null,
            "decision_expected": null,
            "effect_on_miners": "A new Quebec miner cannot currently obtain authorized capacity: new allocations from the dedicated block have been suspended since early 2023 (Régie de l'énergie, docket R-4210-2022), and Rate CB Art. 7.2 freezes authorized demand to what was already held or won through an allocation award. Without an allocation, the operation's entire draw bills at 18.767 ¢/kWh.",
            "primary_source_url": "https://www.hydroquebec.com/blockchain/",
            "last_reviewed": "2026-07-15",
            "next_review": "2026-10-01"
        }
    ]
}