The Hilo challenges
Challenges that help you save while helping the planet
Hilo challenges help you save. During the colder months, we suggest up to 30 reduction challenges. If you agree to take them on, you get a cash reward. It’s easy: accept Hilo’s automatic prompts and get a reward for each kilowatthour (kWh) that you don’t use.
Hilo challenges help you save. During the colder months, we suggest up to 30 reduction challenges. If you agree to take them on, you get a cash reward. It’s easy: accept Hilo’s automatic prompts and get a reward for each kilowatthour (kWh) that you don’t use.
Why take on the Hilo challenges?
To reduce greenhouse gases
To earn cash rewards
What’s a Hilo challenge?
A Hilo challenge is an invitation to reduce the set temperature of your thermostats. Hilo challenges are held during the cold weather season, a high demand period. They are scheduled between 4 a.m. and 11 a.m. or between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m., or even during both periods.
In a typical Quebec winter, you can expect about 30 Hilo challenges. The more you participate in, the more rewards you’ll earn! For every challenge, you decide the terms of your participation – bold or moderate mode, with or without preheating – according to your preferences. Bold participation mode reduces the setpoint temperature of your thermostats more significantly than moderate mode, but the potential rewards are more generous. You can also program a preheating period in certain rooms for added comfort.
How can I participate in the challenges?
It’s easy! You’re automatically signed up to participate in all the Hilo challenges for which you will receive notifications. Of course, you always stay in control of your thermostats and can choose not to participate in a challenge.
A three-phase challenge
Preheating phase
Before the set challenge time, the temperature will go up to ensure an optimal level of comfort in your home. You can program some or all of your thermostats to preheat or you can decide not to preheat at all. It’s your call!
Reduction phase
The temperature in your home will go down during the challenge. You can program some or all of your thermostats to drop to a lower temperature.
Recovery phase
The temperature in your home will gradually return to its normal level all on its own. Challenge met? Your reward awaits.
You’ll get an alert before a challenge
Hilo warns you in advance of each new challenge so you’ll have time to prepare. During extreme cold periods, there might be challenges every day, whether in the morning between 4 a.m. and 11 a.m., or at the end of the day between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m., from December 1 to March 31.
Choose your mode of participation
Before each Hilo challenge, you can select your mode of participation: moderate or intrepid. In moderate mode, the temperature will go up by 1.5°C during the preheating phase and will drop by 3°C during the reduction phase. In intrepid mode, the temperature will go up by 2°C during the preheating phase and will drop by 4°C during the reduction phase. Moderate or intrepid, it’s your call!
Earn rewards
It’s simple: the less energy you consume during a challenge, the more cash you get back.
We’ll take care of everything, and you'll be able to track your challenges with the Hilo mobile app.
Give us your opinion
Did you complete the Hilo challenge without a hitch? Did you get cold? We want to know everything. By sharing your comfort level, your satisfaction with the challenge and your experience as a whole, you’ll help us continue improving.
What is a peak period?
Peaks periods occur when electricity demand is at its highest because so many customers are cranking up the heat or using energy-intensive appliances at the same time. That puts the Hydro-Québec grid under a lot of pressure for a few hours.