Your Manitoba Hydro Bill: How to Read, Understand and Pay It

Every month that Manitoba Hydro Bill slides into your mailbox, asking for money. And no, “block and delete” is not an acceptable money management strategy, so you better pony up. Especially if you want to stay toasty when the mercury hits – 40°C this winter, or not spontaneously combust when it hits +40°C in the summer. Here’s how to read and pay your Manitoba Hydro Bill. Then we’ll have a moment of silence for your bank account. 

What is Manitoba Hydro? 

Fun fact, Manitoba Hydro is the largest electricity and natural gas utility distributor in Canada. Portage la Prairie was the first community to start receiving essential energy services and since then, Manitoba Hydro has grown to service over 900,000 customers. 

Today, it also trades wholesale electricity across four markets in Canada and the Midwestern United States. Did you know this Prairie province-owned Crown Corporation is also a leader in renewable clean energy? Yep! True story. 

Since you don’t have a choice about where your energy comes from if you live in Manitoba, at least it helps to know you’re getting some of the lowest prices in Canada. Oh, and MB Hydro is super pro-environment too, so you can rest easy. 

Alright, enough about that. Here’s how to read and pay your bill. 

How to read your Manitoba Hydro Bill

Every month you’ll get a bill from Manitoba Hydro that shows the different types of services you use, a breakdown of the charges, and your total amount owing. There are two ways you can receive your bill: Paper or Online. 

Paper bill: Page 1 (front)

The information on your paper bill is organized into pages and sections.

Top Left: here, you’ll find the different phone numbers to contact MB Hydro based on your location and the type of accessibility you need, like the Deaf Access line, as well as the web address to visit the site. 

Top Right: here, you’ll see all your account information, like: 

• Name 
• Account number 
• Address of the property receiving services
• Billing date
• Total amount owing
• Payment due date

Under the heading Account Summary, you’ll see a breakdown of any unpaid balance carried forward from your last bill, previous payment(s) received on your account,  and a list of your services with the individual charges for those services. 

If you’re a visual learner, like me, here’s what it looks like: 

Bottom: this is the remittance slip you will need if you choose to pay by mail or through a bank teller. On the left, you will see your name and mailing address.

To the right, you will see your account number, the total amount you need to pay, and the payment due date. Beside this information is a blank box labelled “Payment enclosed,” with a dollar sign. That is where you will fill in the amount you are paying depending on how you choose to pay. 

Page 1 (back)

If you turn over page one of your paper bill, you will find tons of helpful information, like: 

• How to read your meter
• How to record & submit your meter reading 
• Tax information
• Terms & conditions 
• Late payment charges
• Payment options

On the left, the information is written in English. The same information is written in French on the right. 

Page 2 (front)

The second page of your Manitoba Hydro bill shows the details of your electricity and natural gas usage. 

Top: here, you’ll see your name, account number, address of property receiving services, and the date your bill was issued. 

Special messages: here, you will find relevant information and updates that could impact you, so make sure you always pay attention to this section. 

Electricity box: if you are receiving electricity services from Manitoba Hydro, this is where you will see how much electricity you consumed during the billing period and a breakdown of the charges, including all applicable taxes and surcharges.

Natural Gas box: if you are receiving natural gas services, this is where you will see how much you consumed during the billing period, and a breakdown of the charges including all applicable taxes and surcharges. 

Page 2 (back)

Turn over page 2. On the back, you will find a summary of your Equalized Payment Plan (more on that later), as well as a bar graph that illustrates your consumption habits over time. This is a super handy feature to help you save money. You can see when you consumed the most/least amount of energy in the past so you can look for ways to cut back and plan ahead for those extra chilly/hot months.  

Online/Paperless bill: 

If you’re like me and prefer all-things-digital, you can opt for paperless bills. Visit the Manitoba Hydro site to create an online account, then follow the prompts to set your preferences. There is also a Manitoba Hydro App that allows you to view your bill, make payments, and manage your account. 

Once you’ve created your online Manitoba Hydro account and opted for online/paperless bills, it will be emailed to you every month. You can also opt-in for text notifications letting you know your bill is ready.

Here is a view from the app:

The Manitoba Hydro Bill that is emailed to you only shows the total amount owing and when it’s due. To see the full scope of your bill, like your consumption and a breakdown of the charges, you need to log into your Manitoba Hydro account or the app. You can download a PDF file of your bill which looks identical to a paper bill. 

How to pay your Manitoba Hydro Bill

There are several ways to pay your bill. They actually make it pretty hard not to pay your bill. 

Pre-authorized payments

With a pre-authorized payment, you can opt to have the total of your bill automatically debited from your bank account each month on the day it is due. You can set this up through your online Manitoba Hydro account. 

Online banking

You can pay online through your bank account by adding Manitoba Hydro as a Bill Payment Payee. 

At the bank 

You can pay by cash, cheque, or directly out of your account by visiting your bank branch. Make sure you present the remittance slip from the bottom of your Manitoba Hydro bill to include with your payment. If you pay by cheque, write your Manitoba Hydro account number on the memo line. 

By mail

You can send payment by cheque or money order through the mail. Make sure you put the remittance slip from your Manitoba Hydro bill in the envelope with your payment and write your MB Hydro account number on the memo line of the cheque/money order. Never send cash in the mail. Send payments to: 

PO BOX 7900 STN MAIN

Winnipeg, MB R3C 5R1 

Note: the mailing address for payment is always printed on the remittance slip.

MoneyGram

You can use MoneyGram to pay by cash or debit card at any Canada Post location. You must have your 14-digit MB Hydro account number, so make sure you bring the whole bill or the remittance slip with you. 

Authorized agents

Certain grocery stores, drug stores, and other businesses can also accept Manitoba Hydro bill payments. Visit the Manitoba Hydro website to find an authorized agent near you. Call ahead to confirm if they accept your preferred method of payment. 

Inter-utility drop box (Winnipeg Only)

Payment drop boxes are located in Bell MTS Connect retail stores and the City of Winnipeg Water Services offices. Make sure the envelope includes your remittance slip and a cheque or money order with your MB Hydro account number written on it. Never put cash in the drop box.

Manitoba Hydro Building

You can pay your bill in person at the Manitoba Hydro Building in Winnipeg, located at 360 Portage Ave, between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM Monday to Friday. 

Manitoba Hydro does not accept…

Regardless of where you choose to pay, not all forms of payment are accepted. Currently, you cannot pay your Manitoba Hydro bill by:

• Credit card
• eTransfer 
• Over-the-phone

What is the Equal Payment Plan (EEP)? 

The Manitoba Hydro Equal Payment Plan (EPP) allows you to make the same payment amount every month, regardless of how much energy you use. So rather than a bill that fluctuates month to month, your payment remains the same and predictable. 

How payments are calculated 

Manitoba Hydro will take a look at the past energy use at your property to estimate how much energy you are likely to use over the year. Then they divide the total projected cost into equal monthly payments. The EPP cycle runs from September to August, and your actual energy use is reviewed every April. 

Under/over payments

If you end up using more energy than projected, you will have a balance owing. When that happens, your remaining monthly payments will be adjusted up to avoid a large balance owing in August. If you ended up using less energy than projected, the amount you overpaid will be credited to your September bill. 

Understanding your EPP bill

When you opt-in for EPP, everything is tracked on your Manitoba Hydro bill so there are no surprises. Turn to the back of page 2 for a summary of how much you have paid so far and the cost of the energy you actually used.

The difference between the two will result in either a balance owed to MB Hydro or a credit owed to you at the end of your EPP in August. Pay attention to this section every month and plan accordingly to avoid an unpleasant surprise in August.

Visit the Manitoba Hydro website if you’d like more information or want to sign up for the EPP. 

Uh oh, can’t pay your bill?

Hey, it happens to the best of us because… life! Before you join the witness protection program, try contacting Manitoba Hydro first. They work with eligible customers to keep your account in good standing through various payment arrangements and financial assistance programs. 

If you can’t pay your bill on time, don’t risk destroying your credit score. Apply for a Payment Arrangement online through your MB Hydro account or through the app. You may also qualify for additional financial support. 

Visit the Manitoba Hydro website for more information about Payment Arrangements and Financial Assistance Programs. 

PS: You don’t have to call Manitoba Hydro for a payment arrangement, but if you want to talk to a human about your financial situation, here’s how to get in touch:

Monday to Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Phone: 204-480-5901

Saturday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Toll-free: 1-888-624-9376