Burlington Hydro has applied to the Ontario Energy Board for a temporary monthly rate increase of about 32 cents per residential customer to recover its costs of responding to last winter's ice storm.

The increase, on the utility's distribution rate, would be for 18 months starting Nov. 1 if approved by the energy board.

Burlington Hydro spent $575,000 to restore service after the December ice storm, said spokesperson Christine Hallas.

The estimated impact of the increase for the utility's 66,000 customers would be 64 cents per bill, or 32 cents a month on average, for residential customers. And it would be 82 cents for a typical business using 800 kilowatt hours a month, and $8.32 for a large business using about 36,000 kWh a month.

Even if the rate increase is approved by the energy board, the average residential customer will still be paying about $2.60 a month less in distribution charges than the same time last year, Hallas said, because of a decrease that took effect May 1.

Distribution charges make up 22 per cent of the hydro bill, she added.

Horizon Utilities, which operates Hamilton's electricity system, did not apply for any increase due to ice storm expenses because of plans previously in place that cover storm restoration, said Horizon spokesperson Sharon Nease.

The December ice storm through southern and eastern Ontario knocked down trees and power lines, leaving more than 600,000 customers province-wide without electricity.

The other three utilities serving Halton Region - in Milton, Oakville and Halton Hills - have also applied for rate increases to recoup their ice storm recovery costs.