|
Home
> Standardized
Bill for Consumers
With more than 90 electricity distributors
in Ontario, there were many different electricity bills across the province.
Consumers have had to figure out a range of complex terms appearing on
their electricity bills. Some were confused by the number of line items
on their bills and unclear about what charges applied to which services.
The Ontario Government initiated an extensive consultation program to
design and test a standard bill that consumers would find simple and provide
the information needed to understand and better manage their electricity
use. As a result, all consumers will receive a bill that has four standard
line items, is simple to read and easy to understand. The new bill encourages
conservation by providing historical usage information and energy-saving
tips. Remember, rates and charges have not changed—your bill will
be calculated the same way.
Your Bill Explained
Glossary
Comparison
Chart
Frequently
Asked Questions
Compare
Your Old Bill with Your New Bill
See
Your New Bill:
Your
Bill Explained
Your new bill is now easier to read and understand.
We've reduced the number of line items from five to four. They are:
- Electricity
- Delivery
- Regulatory charges
- Debt retirement charge
1. Electricity
This is the price charged for the electricity supplied to you during the
billing period. For customers paying either the wholesale market price
for electricity or enrolled with a retailer, your electricity charges
will also appear here. As your electricity distributor, we pass through
this cost with no mark up or profit.
It is calculated based on your Adjusted usage in kilowatt-hours
(amount of electricity we purchased on your behalf after adjustment for
line losses).
2. Delivery
These are the costs of delivering electricity from generating stations
across the Province to Hydro One then to your home or business. This includes
the costs to build and maintain the transmission and distribution lines,
towers and poles, and operate provincial and local electricity systems.
It also includes calculating your charges, meter reading and 24-hour emergency
power outage service.
A portion of these charges is fixed and does not change from month to
month. The rest of the charges are variable and increase or decrease depending
on the amount of electricity that you use. The majority of the variable
charges are calculated based on your Metered usage
in kilowatt-hours, with the reminder of the variable costs calculated
based on your Adjusted usage in kilowatt-hours
(amount of electricity we purchased on your behalf after adjustment for
line losses). The Ontario Energy Board regulates these charges.
Delivery charges are set according to your service type. The breakdown
of Delivery charges is:
- Distribution flat charge ($/month)
- Distribution volume charge (Metered usage in kilowatt-hours
- ¢/kWh)
- Line and transformation connection service rate (Adjusted usage
in kilowatt-hours - ¢/kWh)
- Network service rate (Adjusted usage in kilowatt-hours - ¢/kWh)
3. Regulatory charges
Includes the cost of services required to operate the electricity system
and run the wholesale market. The majority of these charges are variable
and increase or decrease depending on the amount of your Adjusted
usage in kilowatt-hours (amount of electricity we purchased on
your behalf after adjustment for line losses). The Ontario Energy Board
regulates these charges.
Regulatory charges are set according to your service type. The breakdown
of Regulatory charges is:
- Standard supply service administration charge ($/month). If you've
enrolled with a retailer, the $0.25 standard supply service administration
charge will be deducted from the Regulatory charges amount on your bill.
- Rural rate protection charge (Adjusted usage in kilowatt-hours
- ¢/kWh)
- Wholesale market service rate (Adjusted usage in kilowatt-hours
- ¢/kWh)
4. Debt Retirement Charge
This is the charge used to pay down the debt of the former Ontario Hydro.
This charge is calculated based on the amount of your Metered
usage in kilowatt-hours, and it will vary from one bill to the
next.
Metered usage in kilowatt-hours -
This is the amount of electricity you used in kilowatt-hours (kWh). It
is calculated by taking the difference in meter readings and multiplied,
if applicable, by the multiplier for your meter.
Adjusted usage in kilowatt-hours -
This is the amount of electricity you used in kWh adjusted to cover
the line losses in the electricity system that are not measured by your
meter. When electricity is transmitted over distances and passes through
wires and transformers, it is normal for a small amount of power to
be used or lost as heat. Electricity line losses are an unavoidable
part of the electricity distribution business. So, as an example, for
us to deliver 1000 kWh to you, we must purchase a small amount more
than what you use. To determine the amount of electricity we need to
buy for you, we use a calculation called an "adjustment factor."
Glossary
We've also added a glossary of terms that helps to explain the line items.
It was written by the Ministry of Energy and electricity distributors
and tested with consumers. This glossary will appear on every bill and
is located on the back of the remittance stub. See
glossary.
Comparison Chart
We've improved the electricity comparison chart. Now it will appear on
every bill. This chart may be a new feature for some customers.
We've added a new column to the chart that shows whether your average
usage is based on an actual or estimated meter read. You will see up to
seven lines of detail, with the first line in the chart always being your
current read and the remaining lines based on historical information.
The bolded lines on the chart are so you can quickly compare your current
electricity usage with the same period a year ago. You'll need at least
one year of service history to compare your usage with the same period
last year.
By using this handy chart to compare your current average usage to your
historical average, you'll be able to track your electricity use.
View answers to Frequently Asked
Questions on the new standard bill.
|
