Communicating with customers

During 2022, on behalf of its members, Electricity Canada conducted a national customer satisfaction survey. Price is the number one priority for customers. The key findings included:

• 67% of customers stated that making electricity prices more affordable are a priority. Strengthening the grid to make it more resistant to severe weather and grid modernization were listed as second and third priorities.

• When answering the question, "How reasonable is the price of electricity,” 51% say reasonable, 12% say very unreasonable.

• However, one of the key findings from that survey is that increasing rates beyond 3% will be challenging.

• 55% say utilities should manage inflation pressures within their current rates, even if that means some decline in reliability or delaying other priorities.

When we look at the issue, “Are people supporting the energy transition?” A strong majority believe that we have to do something about climate change, but environment drops as a priority when price comes into play. 36% of people are focused on price, 30% choose reliability, and only 15% choose the environment.

• 46% said that to keep electricity bills affordable, Canada should focus on using low cost and reliable generation, even if it emits greenhouse gases.

• However, 41% of Canadians indicated that electricity providers should replace fossil fuels generation with non-emitting generation and avoid building new fossil fuel generation even if they have to pay more on their electricity bill.

It’s also clear from this survey is that there is an “education gap” with consumers. The average consumer knows little about the need to modernize the grid, or about electrification. This reinforces how utilities can be more proactive in informing customers about the grid, for example, it's important to educate around rate applications. The more people are familiar with the electricity system, and electrification, the more they are willing to support a rate increase.

Canadian electricity companies are customer-centric and continuously strive to communicate the value of electricity to their customers. The challenge ahead for them is to continue to clearly communicate what ratepayers are actually paying for and where investments are being made to improve the perception of the value for money that electricity offers.