Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) Supports New Ontario Clean Energy
Benefit

TORONTO, Nov. 18 /CNW/ - The Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) is pleased that the Clean Energy Benefit announced by the Provincial Government today, clearly responds to concerns voiced by the province's electricity utilities and their customers about recent cost pressures on the electricity bill.

The Benefit will provide some financial relief for Ontarians on their electricity bills. Combined with conservation and demand management programs developed and delivered by their local utility, customers are being given the tools that are helping them better manage their electricity costs.

The Clean Energy Benefit amounts to a 10 percent reduction on the total electricity bill for residential, small business and farm customers. The benefit will extend for 5 years beginning January 1, 2011.

"The Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) supports the introduction of the new Clean Energy Benefit for Ontario's electricity consumers," said EDA Chair, Brian Bentz. "The benefit provides some financial relief to our customers while ensuring they will continue to benefit from the important infrastructure investments that are being made to ensure service reliability to all Ontarians now and into the future."

Ongoing investments in Ontario's electricity system infrastructure are critical to ensure that all facets of Ontario's electricity system - generation, transmission and distribution - are renewed through capital and technological upgrades. 

"Ontario's electricity utilities have responsibility for billing customers on behalf of all the players in the electricity system," said EDA President and CEO, Charlie Macaluso. "The province's electricity utilities are ready to work closely with the provincial government to ensure timely and cost-effective implementation of the new Ontario Clean Energy Benefit to customers."

The Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) is the voice of Ontario's local electricity distributors, the publicly and privately owned companies that safely and reliably deliver electricity to over 4.7 million Ontario homes, businesses and public institutions, representing the distribution of electricity to a population of over 13 million Ontarians.

For further information:

contact the EDA's Manager of Communications and Media Relations, Christine Hallas at [phone].