Greater Sudbury Hydro rates may decline slightly

Despite the province's plan to increase hydro rates, Greater Sudbury Hydro has applied to the Ontario Energy Board to decrease the amount it charges residential customers by an average of 13 cents a month.

Though the price of electricity continues to rise, other businesses run by the utility are making money, offsetting the electricity cost for customers, aspokesperson for the company said.

For the last little while, we have been able to direct some of the profits from the non-regulated to the regulated side, which helps keep rates low, Wendy Watson said.

The utility also runs @Home Energy and the telecommunications firm Agilis.

Greater Sudbury Hydro serves much of the city, but some outlying areas are powered by Hydro One.

The rate reduction at the city-run utility would not apply to those customers.