Electricity Pricing Relief
May 30, 2020 – Ontario is extending its COVID-19 residential electricity rate relief for another five months. As Ontarians continue to work and learn from home, they are extending the suspension of time-of-use price to provide consumers with greater stability and predictability with their electricity bills.
To extend this support responsibly, they have introduced a fixed electricity price, known as the COVID-19 Recovery Rate, of 12.8 cents per kWh, which will be automatically applied to all time-of-use customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This fixed electricity price will be in place from June 1 - October 31, 2020.
The COVID-19 Recovery Rate of 12.8¢/kWh is based on the average cost of electricity, set by the Ontario Energy Board. This fixed rate will continue to suspend time-of-use prices in a fiscally responsible manner. By introducing this new fixed rate, consumers will have greater flexibility to use electricity when they need it without paying on-peak and mid-peak prices.
Since March 24, 2020, they have invested just over $175 million to deliver emergency rate relief to residential, farm and small business electricity consumers by suspending time-of-use (TOU) electricity pricing. This investment was made to protect the people of Ontario from a marked increase in electricity rates as they did their part by staying home to prevent the further spread of the virus.
To learn more about this relief program visit the Ontario Newsroom page: https://news.ontario.ca/mndmf/en/2020/05/ontario-provides-consumers-with-greater-stability-and-predictability-with-their-electricity-bills.html
Media Coverage on This Issue:
May 24, 2020 – This is how much Ontario’s COVID-19 electricity price freeze has cost (Sudbury.com)
May 5, 2020 – The Ontario government is extending emergency electricity rate relief (off-peak pricing) to families, farms and small businesses until May 31, 2020 (Ontario)
March 24, 2020 – Ontario to slash hydro rates to offset costs of working from home amid coronavirus pandemic (Globe and Mail)
February 19, 2020 – Seasonal Cottagers Could See Huge Increase in Electricity Costs (The Bay Muskoka)
September 27, 2019 – Proposal heralds significant hydro rates for seasonals (Manitoulin Expositor)
August 21, 2019 – Hydro One fighting to keep seasonal rate class for Ontario cottagers (Durham Radio News)
August 21, 2019 – Pending changes to electricity rates for cottagers (CBC Ontario Morning; audio starts at 15:42 of podcast)
August 20, 2019 – Electricity rates for some Ontario cottagers could jump if plan goes ahead, Hydro One says (Toronto Star, CP)
August 20, 2019 – Hydro rates could jump in Ontario’s cottage country (CTV News, CP)
August 20, 2019 – Cottage hydro rates could jump: Hydro One (Ottawa Citizen, CP)
August 20, 2019 – Cottage hydro rates would skyrocket under Ontario Energy Board plan (TBNewswatch)
August 19, 2019 – Cottagers brace for ‘disastrous’ jump in electricity costs (CBC Ottawa)
July 16, 2019 – 570 News Radio – Mike Farwell interviews Terry Rees about hydro pricing (jump to 108:20 on the recording for Terry’s interview)
Get more information, including ways to contact Hydro One’s customer service with your questions, here: https://www.hydroone.com/about/regulatory/oeb-applications/seasonal-rates