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Smart Meters — Automated Meter Reading

Hydro One is well on its way to meeting the provincial government's goal of installing a smart meter in all homes and small businesses by 2010 to promote a culture of conservation in the province. We plan to have over 600,000 meters installed province-wide by the end of 2008. If you haven't received a smart meter yet, rest assured, you will by 2010.

As a first step in introducing Hydro One's smart metering system, customers with smart meters that are communicating will begin receiving bills produced with an automated meter reading (meter readers will no longer need to visit your premise to manually read your meter). The transition to automated meter reading will occur progressively over time as the smart meter communication network is installed across the province. You will be notified that you have been converted to automated meter reading with a bill message on your first automated meter-read bill.

Automated meter reading has a number of important benefits, including:

• Eliminating the need for estimated bills under normal conditions as your bill will be produced using your actual usage for the billing period
• Eliminating the inconvenience of providing access to meters located indoors
• Streamlining meter reading operations and freeing up our experienced staff for other high priority areas to better serve our customers
• Reducing the potential for employee accidents due to safety hazard exposures associated with meter reading
• Reducing vehicle emissions associated with manual meter reading across Hydro One's extensive service territory.

Customers who have provided meter readings to Hydro One in the past may continue to do so, but these readings would only be used in the unlikely event that they are needed.

It's also important to note that while automated meter reading is beginning, there is no immediate change to the price that you are paying for electricity. The Ontario Energy Board has not yet established a start date for time-of-use pricing for most utilities but rest assured we will notify you well in advance of when you can begin to take advantage of this new pricing structure.

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