Explaining the Electricity Sector in Ontario
Much is being said about carbon pricing these days as inflation and the overall cost of living continue to increase. Electricity is impacted by carbon pricing as some generation comes from fossil fuels. The actual carbon cost is not broken out on the electricity bill like it is on a natural gas bill, making it […]
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On October 19, 2023 the Ontario Energy Board announced an electricity rate increase to be effective November 1, 2023. The Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER) increases to 19.3% at the same time. Conspicuously missing is any reference to the net impact on customer bills. It is not a simple task for the ratepayer to figure out […]
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In 2022 there are so many electricity subsidies in Ontario, it is a bit overwhelming. This article will look at 16 of them, summarizing what they offer, who is eligible, what agency administers them, how much they cost and where the funding comes from. Scams Unfortunately, there are also various scams that claim to be […]
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The rising cost of electricity in Ontario has been a contentious issue for decades. Most people are aware that costs have increased but few have an understanding of the drivers and how much each of them impact our bills. The largest portion of the average consumer’s electricity bill is for energy, making it a good […]
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In Ontario, the future of Time of Use (TOU) rates on the Regulated Price Plan (RPP) are under scrutiny with a view from the current government to scrap them entirely. How would scrapping TOU impact ratepayers? The short answer is that the average customer sees no change to their energy cost. Those who successfully shifted […]
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A number of articles have appeared in the media over the last few weeks about the cancellation of 759 renewable energy contracts from 2018. The trigger for the interest has been the revelation that contract cancellation costs are going to be $231 million. The government is reminding us that we are saving $790 million by […]
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A friend of mine received a notification in late October about electricity rates which he thought was so completely outrageous that it had to be ‘fake news’. Unfortunately, it is not fake news. On the other hand it is not as bad as it may appear at first glance. You need to read the fine […]
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Our fascination with the Sun goes back beyond recorded history. It can be the giver of life or the inflictor of great human suffering. Since the discovery of the sun’s photovoltaic (PV) effect in 1839 we have embarked on a quest to extract an ever-increasing amount of electrical energy from sunlight. There has been significant […]
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There is no shortage of controversy surrounding the use of wind energy on our electricity grid. It is a struggle between economics and ideology. The economics aren’t just about the cost of electricity. It’s about making money. The ideology is about minimizing the human impact energy production has on the planet. Are we going to […]
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◊ Updated March 2, 2019 to add financial details of the failed acquisition ◊ In a news release December 5, 2018, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission announced that it has denied the proposed $6.7 billion acquisition of Avista by Hydro One. “The proposed transaction cannot be said to be consistent with the public interest […]
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