About the Program
Oakville Hydro is pleased to offer consumers The Great Refrigerator Roundup Program, in conjunction with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA). The Great Refrigerator Roundup is designed to remove older, inefficient fridges from the electricity system. Generally, these older secondary fridges, located in basements or garages, are plugged in but rarely used. Commonly referred to as ‘beer fridges’ these older units use two to three times more electricity than new refrigerators.
Household appliances account for about 20 per cent of the average homeowner’s electricity bill.
Over the last two decades, in part due to Canada’s improved energy-efficiency standards,
appliance manufacturers have greatly improved the efficiency of these appliances. For example,
today’s refrigerators use less than half the electricity of those built in 1984 or earlier.
The Ontario Power Authority’s Secondary Refrigerator Retirement pilot program, which ran in
2006, led to the collection and decommissioning of nearly 5,000 fridges and more than 200
freezers. The main focus of the pilot program was to collect information for use in designing the
Oakville Hydro program which officially launched in 2007.
Program participants can sign up either online or through the central OPA call centre to book their
appointments for free pick-up of the refrigerator. Consumers will receive a confirmation call one
day prior to their scheduled pick-up to ensure that the fridge is plugged in overnight (to confirm it is
in working condition). Upon request freezers 10 cu ft or larger will also be collected in conjunction with
fridge pick-ups. Please ask about this service.
See www.everykilowattcounts.com/roundup for additional details.
Recycling
Recycling is a key element of the The Great Refrigerator Roundup. Refrigerators collected through
the program will be disposed of in an environmentally safe manner, resulting in a significantly
reduced contribution to local landfill. Full recycling includes removal and proper handling of CFC
based refrigerants and foam insulation; draining, decontamination and recycling of compressor
oils; and recycling of plastic, glass and metals.
Retiring a Refrigerator
To qualify, refrigerators must be at least ten years old, 10 cubic feet or larger, and plugged in and
working at the time of pick-up. They must also be located at a single-family residence within the
service area of a participating electricity distributor. For information please visit
www.everykilowattcounts.com/roundup or contact the Ontario Power Authority Customer Care
Centre at 1-877-797-9473.
The Great Refrigerator Roundup Program is designed to remove energy intensive appliances from
the Ontario power grid. Appliances not in working condition are not eligible for pick-up.
About Oakville Hydro Electricity Distribution Inc.
Oakville Hydro Electricity Distribution Inc. (OHEDI) is regulated by the Ontario Energy Board and distributes electricity throughout Oakville. Upon opening of the Ontario electricity market in 2002, OHEDI started distributing electricity to customers at the Standard Supply Service (SSS) Rate set by the Ontario Energy Board. OHEDI also provides information on electricity rates, water rates, lines and operations. The current number of customers serviced by EDI is in excess of 53,000, and growing at a rate of 3,000 customers per year.
About the Ontario Power Authority
In pursuit of its mandate of ensuring an adequate, long-term supply of electricity for Ontario, the
OPA creates and implements conservation and demand management programs, ensures
adequate investment in new supply infrastructure, performs long-term electricity system planning,
and facilitates the development of a more sustainable and competitive electricity system.
Media Inquiries:
Please e-mail us at OPA@oakvillehydro.com
Comments:
Fill out a Comments Form Online about this OPA program.
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