Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Yes, the bonus is retroactive for compatible devices purchased in the past, with the exception of devices that have already received financial assistance from Hydro-Québec, notably during the pilot projects (2022 to 2024).

If you are unsure whether you have received financial assistance for your thermostats in the past, please contact Hilo Customer Service at:

• 438 289-4456
• 1 844 500-4456 (toll-free)

Hilo, a program designed to help you save energy and money, is available to 95% of Hydro-Québec customers. Some municipalities are not yet eligible, but Hydro-Québec is working to extend this offer to 100% of the territory, thus allowing all Hydro-Québec customers with compatible thermostats to join Hilo. To join Hilo, customers must meet the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in Rate D (default rate) without the winter credit option;
• Have access to high-speed Internet service of at least 5 Mbps, a home Wi-Fi network, and a free and functional Ethernet port on their modem or router;
• Own a smartphone on which they can download and use the Hilo App.

No, Sinopé devices purchased as part of earlier pilot projects (2022 to 2024) are not eligible for the bonus offered with this program, as they were already subsidized by Hydro-Québec. However, you can receive a bonus for any new purchase of a compatible device. 

For more details, visit this link.

Yes, because you can't sign up for two programs at the same time.

If you are a Winter Credit customer, you will automatically be invited to switch from Winter Credit to the Hilo program once your devices have been connected to Hilo, without having to make any prior changes in your Hydro-Québec Customer Space. If you're a Flex rate customer, you must first go to your Hydro-Québec Customer Space to switch to Rate D. Once you've done that, you can unsubscribe from the program or rate in Éco Sinopé to select the Hilo option.

To do so, go to the Éco Sinopé feature and click on the Unsubscribe button at the bottom of the page. 

No, you cannot register for two programs at the same time. Please unsubscribe from your current program before subscribing to a new one.

Should any of the following events occur:  

• The Participant terminates the Hilo Service Agreement before the end of the required minimum period of 12 months following acceptance of this financial assistance program. 
• The Participant fails to comply with the obligations set out in the Agreement during the 12-month period following acceptance of this financial assistance program.   
• The Participant declines or withdraws from more than 10 Hilo Challenges per Winter Period during the first 12 months following acceptance of this financial assistance program. 

In such cases, the Participant agrees to reimburse Hydro-Québec a percentage of financial assistance received under this financial assistance program. For full details, visit this page.

By joining Hilo, you'll be eligible to receive a bonus on some of your smart devices. You can benefit from $70 per smart thermostat - electric baseboard and floor heating (limit of 10) and low voltage (limit of 2). What's more, you'll be able to earn even more cash rewards by automating your connected devices' participation in Hilo challenges. Finally, you'll be part of a collective movement to optimize energy consumption in Quebec and help the planet.

We're pleased to be working with Hydro-Québec again this year to continue making smart devices more accessible and rewarding customers who want to better balance their energy consumption, especially during peak events, to have a positive impact on the environment. Sinopé recommends using its free platform, Neviweb, to create scenes and automations for your devices. Only Hilo events during peak periods will now be managed by Hilo if you have connected your compatible devices.

The bonus is a cash rebate that will be paid to you in the weeks following the connection of your devices to Hilo. The bonus is also conditional on the customer's acceptance of the financial assistance agreement for the compatible device(s) associated with Hilo. In the meantime, you will be able to view the amount of your bonus in the Hilo app. 

For more details, visit this link.

To be eligible for the bonus, the participant must not refuse or withdraw from more than 10 Hilo challenges per winter period during the first 12 months following acceptance of the financial assistance program.

For full details, visit this page. 

1. Get your Hilo hub
2. Add your devices to Sinopé's Neviweb app.
3. Select the Hilo option in the Éco Sinopé feature*.
4. Install the Hilo hub and the Hilo app.
5. Follow the steps in the Hilo app to connect your devices.
6. Your bonus will be paid to you by Hydro-Québec in the weeks following your registration at Hilo.

*If you were previously enrolled in another program or at another rate, please unsubscribe before joining a new one. To do so, go to the Éco Sinopé feature and click on the Unsubscribe button at the bottom of the page. If you are a Winter Credit customer, you will automatically be invited to switch from Winter Credit to the Hilo program once your devices have been connected to Hilo, without having to make any prior changes in your Hydro-Québec Customer Space. If you're a Flex rate customer, you must first go to your Hydro-Québec Customer Space to switch to Rate D.

The Hilo hub takes around 10 working days to be delivered.

Yes, you must keep the GT130 gateway to connect your Sinopé devices in Neviweb and also order the Hilo hub free of charge to connect your devices afterwards.

The hub is offered free of charge on the Hilo website.

To order your hub, please consult this link.

You can purchase an additional Ethernet switch to connect your gateway to. This switch is not sold by Sinopé, but you can find it on the web (e.g. Amazon). 

Yes! The Hilo hub connects Wi-Fi devices to Hydro-Québec's meter to provide real-time electricity consumption data. Instantaneous power is used to calculate the baseline consumption before challenges and to monitor performance in real-time during challenges. With the gateway, this information is accessible via the Hilo mobile app, offering an optimized user experience. It allows customers to manage their energy consumption better and participate effectively in Hilo challenges.

For the time being, only the following smart thermostats (Wi-Fi and Zigbee) are eligible for the bonus:

• Smart thermostats for electric baseboards (TH1123WF, TH1124WF, TH1123ZB, TH1124ZB, TH1500ZB)
• Smart floor heating thermostats (TH1300WF, TH1310WF, TH1300ZB)
• Smart low voltage thermostats (TH1400WF, TH1400ZB)
  

Note that we are working with Hydro-Québec and Hilo to integrate new devices into the Hilo ecosystem. We will inform our customers with eligible products in due course, and all information will be available on our website and that of Hilo.

Some devices, such as charge controllers and smart plugs, are not supported in Hilo. If you still want them to participate in peak events, you can create an automation in Neviweb for your devices and activate it manually during a peak event to save money.

We are working with Hydro-Québec and Hilo to integrate new devices into the Hilo ecosystem. We will inform our customers with eligible products in due course, and all information will be available on our site and that of Hilo.

You can maintain your current program or pricing (e.g. Winter Credit or Flex Rate D) if you do not wish to migrate to Hilo and continue to use Éco Sinopé as usual. However, you won't have access to the bonus offered on devices as part of the joint program with Hilo.

Yes, you can use Hilo to manage your devices during winter peaks, and benefit from the wider range of features offered in the Neviweb app for controlling your various devices (automations, schedules, georeferencing, scenes, etc.) during off-peak periods.

No, only the following data relating to Neviweb will be shared with Hilo with your permission:

- Current status of Neviweb and all devices connected to it.
- User-defined names in Neviweb (e.g. device and room names).
- User-defined room and automation definitions, including device name and type.
- Status of all products, including on/off status, product accessibility and settings. The application will also have access to language and temperature format preferences.
- Write access to device attributes (thermostat setpoint, etc.).
- Names, creation date and time stamps.

To be eligible for the bonus, the participant must not refuse or withdraw from more than 10 Hilo challenges per winter period during the first 12 months following acceptance of the financial assistance program.

For full details, visit this page.

If you join Hilo, you won't see a banner indicating that a peak event or challenge is underway in the Neviweb app. In the Hilo app, you will see that a challenge is in progress. However, the éco icon (or DR) will appear on your device and in the Neviweb app during a peak event.