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Centre Wellington Hydro has nearly completed the deployment of over 6,000 smart meters to its customers.
We began installation of the new meters in late May and as of October 1st , 2009 we have only about 100 more to install.
The Ontario government has set a goal of having a smart meter in every home and business across the province by 2010,
so we are well on our way to meet this directive.
The new smart meters record not only the amount of electricity consumed, but also the when the electricity was used.
This will enable a Time of Use (TOU) pricing structure. Unlike the current system in which customers pay a fixed rate,
TOU pricing has three different rates for electricity consumed during off-peak, mid-peak or on-peak periods of the day.
Weekends and holidays are always off-peak.
It is important to know, the customer does not have to sign anything because you had a smart meter installed, and nothing
will change from the way you are currently billed.
We are still reading the meters in the conventional way (with meter readers) so we can complete the necessary tests of
all our systems.
At this time, Centre Wellington Hydro plans to phase in TOU pricing in early 2011. Prior to implementing TOU rates customers
will be notified well in advance of the change. We will host public information sessions, post information on our website
and put notices in the local newspaper to let customers know when these changes will take effect.
Time of Use (TOU) pricing more accurately reflects the actual real-time market cost of electricity which fluctuates widely
throughout the day. Electricity demand peaks in the mid to late afternoon triggering a corresponding increase in the market
price.
During the hot summer months, air conditioner use pushes electricity demand to its highest levels of the year. Ontario
must often rely on more expensive and polluting forms of power generation to meet daily peaks. On the hottest days,
electricity must be purchased at a premium from power plants that, in some cases, only operate a handful of days a year.
A key objective of the smart metering initiative is to reduce peak demand by encouraging consumers to rethink their
consumption habits. By reducing daily peaks and shifting some demand to off-peak periods, consumers can help avoid the
shared cost and environmental impact of building additional power plants and upsizing the grid.
Smart meters and TOU pricing will also enable customers to take steps to manage their electricity costs. In the near future,
customers will be able to monitor their consumption online or through in-home displays. For a list of cost reduction
strategies visit www.smartmetersontario.ca.
The installation of smart meters is part of a broader initiative to modernize Ontario’s electricity grid. Similar
initiatives are underway in the United States and the European Union. The new “smart grid” will employ sensors, monitoring,
communications, automation and computers to improve the flexibility, security, reliability, efficiency, and safety of the
electricity system. Other benefits of a smart grid include the ability to integrate more renewable energy sources and avoid
blackouts.
Customers will have received an information package in the mail when their smart meter was installed. If you did not
receive the information package, please contact our office and we will have sent to you.
Thank you.
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