Hydro One advises customers that one degree can reduce cooling costs

TORONTO, Aug. 4 /CNW/ - Hydro One advises customers that setting their air conditioners one degree higher can save them up to five per cent on their cooling costs. Exceptionally warm weather is forecast for much of the province in the next few days.

Here are some tips to help customers conserve electricity and manage electricity costs:

    
    -  Set the temperature at least one degree higher than you normally
       would.

    -  Turn off your air conditioner when you're not at home OR use a
       programmable thermostat to turn it off (or up) during peak times.

    -  Use a ceiling fan to supplement your air conditioner; this way, you
       can raise the temperature on your thermostat and feel just as
       comfortable.

    -  Keep doors and windows closed while the air conditioner is running.

    -  Keep window shades drawn during the afternoon.
    

Hydro One customers who are already on Time of Use(TOU) prices can also visit www.HydroOne.com\MyAccount to view your electricity use hourly, daily, or weekly. Your data is updated as recently as the day before. Customers on TOU pricing will know that the higher on-peak price of 9.9 cents per kWh for electricity is in effect during weekday afternoons (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Setting air conditioners one degree higher can also help customers on TOU pricing manage their energy consumption and costs during periods of warmer weather.

Hydro One delivers electricity safely, reliably and responsibly to homes and businesses across the province of Ontario and owns and operates Ontario's 29,000 km high-voltage transmission network that delivers electricity to large industrial customers and municipal utilities, and a 123,000 km low-voltage distribution system that serves about 1.3 million end-use customers and smaller municipal utilities in the province. Hydro One is wholly owned by the Province of Ontario.

For further information: contact Hydro One Media Relations 24 hours a day at 1-877-506-7584 (toll-free in Ontario only) or 416-345-6868, www.HydroOne.com