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1
Manitoba Hydro electricity & natural gas rates in 2026
A 4.0% electricity increase took effect January 1, 2026, ordered by the Public Utilities Board on an urgent basis because of a severe drought. Natural gas rates dropped about 2.7% on May 1, 2026. Here is why both moved, and what the next three years are likely to look like.
2
Understanding and paying your Manitoba Hydro bill
A Manitoba Hydro bill has two charges per fuel: a basic monthly charge and an energy charge based on what you used. The Equal Payment Plan and Pre-authorized Payment Plan are the two main ways to smooth or automate it. Knowing which plan fits the household is the difference between a stable winter and a $500 February surprise.
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1
How to set up Manitoba Hydro service when you move
On possession day you submit a start-service request and create an online account, about five minutes. Manitoba Hydro processes the request within two weeks, and the first bill arrives 45 to 60 days later. A brand-new physical connection is a different project entirely.
2
Understanding and paying your Manitoba Hydro bill
A Manitoba Hydro bill has two charges per fuel: a basic monthly charge and an energy charge based on what you used. The Equal Payment Plan and Pre-authorized Payment Plan are the two main ways to smooth or automate it. Knowing which plan fits the household is the difference between a stable winter and a $500 February surprise.
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1
Efficiency Manitoba rebates and energy-saving programs
A $5,000 boiler rebate, free insulation for eligible homes, $300 per ENERGY STAR window or door, and free heat pumps for income-qualifying households. Stacked with the federal Oil to Heat Pump Affordability top-up, the same project can drop in price by more than half.
2
Help if you can't pay your Manitoba Hydro bill
The Customer Arrears Assistance Program lets you pay down arrears in equal monthly amounts while keeping the lights on. Calling 1-888-MBHYDRO before the disconnection notice is the single biggest thing you can do. Once a file is in collections the options narrow fast.
3
Understanding and paying your Manitoba Hydro bill
A Manitoba Hydro bill has two charges per fuel: a basic monthly charge and an energy charge based on what you used. The Equal Payment Plan and Pre-authorized Payment Plan are the two main ways to smooth or automate it. Knowing which plan fits the household is the difference between a stable winter and a $500 February surprise.
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Three clusters cover everything: the rate and the bill, getting service connected, and the rebates plus arrears help that lower the bill.
2 guides
Manitoba Hydro rates and your bill
How much you pay, what each line on the bill funds, and the Public Utilities Board cycle that decides electricity and natural gas rates every year. Use this cluster to understand the bill in your hand.
01
Manitoba Hydro electricity & natural gas rates in 2026
A 4.0% electricity increase took effect January 1, 2026, ordered by the Public Utilities Board on an urgent basis because of a severe drought. Natural gas rates dropped about 2.7% on May 1, 2026. Here is why both moved, and what the next three years are likely to look like.
02
Understanding and paying your Manitoba Hydro bill
A Manitoba Hydro bill has two charges per fuel: a basic monthly charge and an energy charge based on what you used. The Equal Payment Plan and Pre-authorized Payment Plan are the two main ways to smooth or automate it. Knowing which plan fits the household is the difference between a stable winter and a $500 February surprise.
1 guide
Connecting and managing service
Setting up service when you move into a Manitoba address, what the timelines really look like, and how to spot the difference between a routine start-service and a longer new-connection project.
2 guides
Affordability, arrears and rebates
What to do when the bill is more than the household can carry, and the rebate stack that turns expensive upgrades (heat pumps, insulation, windows) into manageable ones.
01
Help if you can't pay your Manitoba Hydro bill
The Customer Arrears Assistance Program lets you pay down arrears in equal monthly amounts while keeping the lights on. Calling 1-888-MBHYDRO before the disconnection notice is the single biggest thing you can do. Once a file is in collections the options narrow fast.
02
Efficiency Manitoba rebates and energy-saving programs
A $5,000 boiler rebate, free insulation for eligible homes, $300 per ENERGY STAR window or door, and free heat pumps for income-qualifying households. Stacked with the federal Oil to Heat Pump Affordability top-up, the same project can drop in price by more than half.
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Frequently asked questions
No. Manitoba is a Crown-utility province: Manitoba Hydro is the sole seller of electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and most industrial customers. There is no competitive retail layer, no choice of supplier, and no two-box split between distributor and retailer. The single utility makes the market simpler to navigate than Alberta or Ontario.
The Public Utilities Board (PUB) of Manitoba. Manitoba Hydro files rate applications; the PUB reviews them and either approves, modifies, or denies the request. The 4.0% electricity increase that took effect on January 1, 2026 was approved by the PUB on an urgent basis because of a severe drought. Future years (2027 and 2028) are still under review.
Natural gas is reviewed quarterly (February, May, August, November). The commodity rate is passed through at cost without markup; the delivery rate funds pipelines, metering, and customer service. Electricity is reviewed annually under the General Rate Application unless interim circumstances demand otherwise.
No, because there is no competing supplier. The levers Manitoba households actually have are: consumption (insulation, heat pumps, behaviour), plan structure (Equal Payment Plan to smooth winter into summer, Pre-authorized Payment for automation), and the Efficiency Manitoba rebate stack for upgrades.
Call Manitoba Hydro at 1-888-MBHYDRO and ask for the Customer Arrears Assistance Program. The earlier the call, the more options stay on the table. The arrears team is also trained to refer you to provincial Employment and Income Assistance, federal benefits, and the Energy Efficiency Assistance Program in the same conversation.
Read next
Start with the rate guide
The 2026 electricity increase changes the math on every other decision in this hub. Read it first, then come back for the bill explainer.