A former Progressive Conservative MPP is calling out his old party for not fulfilling a 2018 election promise to cut electricity prices 12 per cent.

Premier Doug Ford’s government should be directing the board of Hydro One — of which the province is the largest shareholder — to forego applications for rate increases, independent MPP Randy Hillier said Wednesday.

“Why are you allowing Hydro One to act in a manner that both frustrates and obstructs your mandate and makes a mockery of your commitment?” Hillier (Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston) asked Energy Minister Greg Rickford in the legislature’s daily question period.

“My office is being contacted by residents and small businesses that are concerned and worried that this increase will affect their standard of living and their bottom line.”

Rickford said the government is working behind-the-scenes to reduce overall costs in the electricity system, but did not mention the controversial decision to scrap more than 750 renewable energy projects to save ratepayers $790 million with cancellation costs now estimated at $231 million for this year alone.

“The steps that we’ve taken over the past year are testament to our resolve to reduce costs system-wide, to work more effectively,” added Rickford, whose measures included the imposition of a chief executive salary cap of $1.5 million annually on Hydro One.

In its latest five-year distribution rate increase application, Hydro One — now a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange — said much of the electricity system was built in the 1950s and needs regular upgrades to keep it safe and reliable.

“Prudent investments in the distribution system are needed in almost every community to keep the public safe, reduce power outages and offset the need for more expensive emergency repairs.”

For example, Hydro one said 25 per cent of transformers and 17 per cent of wooden hydro poles have reached their expected service life.

The Ontario Energy Board approved overall winter electricity rate increases effective Nov. 1 that will see the total bill for a typical residential customer using 700 kWh per month rise by $1.99 or 1.8 per cent, roughly in line with inflation.

The board said the rate increase reflects higher-than-expected costs for electricity, “due in part to refurbishment of nuclear facilities and new generation facilities coming online.”

Darlington nuclear power station just east of Oshawa, for example, is being refurbished over 10 years at an expected cost of $12 billion.

Hillier said the rate increase of almost two per cent means the government must now cut hydro rates by 14 per cent to keep up with its original promise.

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