In an effort to help manage electricity usage and encourage energy conservation across the province, the Ontario government has committed to smart meter billing.
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| 1. What is a "smart meter"? |
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A smart meter is a digital meter that can record and automatically report electricity consumption information. Smart meters measure how much electricity is used and when that electricity is used. |
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| 2. Why is it important to know when electricity is used? |
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| Right now, consumers have very little incentive to manage when they use their electricity because electricity prices remain the same no matter what the time of day—simply because our meters cannot report when electricity is used. |
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| 3. What is Time-of-Use? |
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| Time-of-Use (TOU) literally refers to the time of day that electricity is used. When TOU billing starts, rates will vary throughout the day—the highest rate will be in place during times of peak demand (when we tend to use a lot of electricity) and the lowest rate during the off-peak periods. With TOU rates, customers will be able to choose how and when to use electricity, which can help to lower monthly electricity costs. |
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| .4. Why is Ontario introducing smart meters and Time-of-Use rates? |
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| Smart meters measure hourly electricity use, so prices can be set based on the time of day. This better matches the way prices work in the electricity market, and will encourage us to think more about how and when we use electricity. As consumption moves away from the more expensive (peak) times of the day, Ontario can reduce its peak demand, which can help limit the building and operation of peak generating facilities. |
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| 5. When will TOU billing start? |
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| Oakville Hydro expects to have TOU billing in place for our customers by June 2011. |
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6. How do I know the Smart Meter is accurate?
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Each meter is calibrated and tested to meet Measurement Canada accuracy standards before it is placed in service. Furthermore, Oakville Hydro is required by federal legislation, the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act, to maintain the accuracy of all in-service electricity meters. This includes Smart Meters. |
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| 7. I don’t want a smart meter. Can I refuse to have one installed? |
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The Government of Ontario has mandated everyone in the province to have a smart meter before the end of 2010.
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| 8. What happened to my old meter? |
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Old Oakville Hydro meters are recycled for their various components. |
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| 9. What are the advantages of smart meters? |
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| Smart meters gather detailed consumption information. This gives customers the ability to monitor electricity usage and manage their costs on a daily basis. For example, choosing to use an electrical appliance such as a washing machine or clothes drier during times when power costs are lower will result in lower electricity bills. |
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| 10. If TOU is not in place yet, why is my electricity bill higher? |
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| There are a number of reasons a bill could be higher than expected: warmer weather in the summer means more fans and air conditioners. Colder weather in the winter means the furnace may be on more often. Adding electronics such as computers or a flat-screen TV will increase electricity use.
If you were away on vacation during the last billing period, your electricity use would be reduced because you weren’t at home. It is also possible that previous bills were based on estimated readings which will no longer be necessary since your Smart Meter will transmit your electricity usage directly to Oakville Hydro over a secure network.
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| 11. How is my privacy protected, if my electricity usage is being transmitted from my meter to Oakville Hydro? |
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| Oakville Hydro is required to ensure that smart meters and associated communication networks are equipped with security features to prevent unauthorized access. We must also comply with federal and provincial laws regarding the protection of our customers’ privacy. For more information about our privacy policies, please visit Oakville Hydro’s website at
http://www.oakvillehydro.com/privacystatement.asp
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