The timing of the migration to TOU, which for some Burlington Hydro customers started in January 2012, was conveyed through billing inserts issued to all customers in the Fall. The specific TOU start dates vary for customers depending on their billing cycle.

Arrival of Time of Use

Phase-in of Time-of-Use Electricity Prices Underway for Burlington Hydro Customers

In a move mandated by the Province of Ontario and the Ontario Energy Board, every Burlington Hydro residential and small commercial customer will have been switched to Time-of-Use (TOU) pricing by September 2012. Burlington’s roll out of TOU began in January 2012.

The switch to the new approach to electricity costs means all Burlington households and most institutions and businesses will be charged different rates, depending on the day of week , time of day and the season.

The phased-in approach to the billing ensures customers will not be billed based on both the old and new pricing on the same electricity bill to avoid confusion.

TOU electricity pricing, applicable province-wide, is a part of the Ontario government’s plan to create a culture of energy conservation. TOU prices are based on which times of day, days of the week and the season that experience the highest and lowest electricity demands. When demand and production costs are at their highest, the prices will be higher; when costs go down, so will the prices. TOU prices are set by the Ontario Energy Board and are adjusted every six months.

Winter TOU periods and prices in effect until April 30th, are as follows:

• Off-Peak - 6.2 cents per kWh – Weekdays 7 pm to 7 am, and all-day on Weekends and Statutory Holidays
• Mid-Peak - 9.2 cents per kWh – Weekdays 11 am to 5 pm
• On-Peak – 10.8 cents per kWh –Weekdays 7 am to 11 am & 5 pm to 7 pm

From May 1st to October 31st, new TOU periods come into effect.

To prepare for Time-of-Use, look for opportunities to shift energy intensive activities to off-peak hours and to conserve when possible. Installing a programmable thermostat and setting it to reduce your consumption during on-peak periods, always running your dishwasher with full loads and avoiding the heat-dry settings and unplugging electronics when not in use, are only a few tips to help you shift and conserve.

Burlington Hydro will continue to help our customers to manage their electricity use and costs by offering a wide range of Conservation Programs. To learn more about our Conservation Programs and ways that you can power down and save visit www.burlingtonhydro.com.

** NOTE: For electricity customers on a fixed-term contract with an electricity retailer, TOU prices will not apply.

Questions about your Smart Meter?

Contact the Ontario Energy Board Consumer Relations Centre
1-877-632-2727 (toll free within Ontario)
416-314-2455 (within the GTA or outside Ontario))
email: JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING )
Visit www.oeb.gov.on.ca