SUDBURY -- Sudbury Hydro is trying to get permission to raise its rates. It recently applied to the Ontario Energy Board for a cost of service increase.

If the application is approved, rates could rise by roughly six dollars per month as early as May 1, 2020.

Officials with the utility say licensed electricity distributors go through this process every five years or so, but in Sudbury, this has not been done for seven years.

"If we didn't file for a revenue review and a slight increase then next year, we would be collected actually slightly less than we collected in 2009. That's just not sustainable when you think of that plus inflationary acceleration. In order to do the work to maintain the system, renew substations that in many cases were built right after World War II, we need to have a revenue increase," commented Wendy Watson, Greater Sudbury Hydro.

Customers can have their say and file any comments they have to the Ontario Energy Board any time before the January 20 deadline.