Ontario Electrical Utilities Make Significant Conservation Commitment

TORONTO, Jan. 27, 2015 /CNW/ - The Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) is pleased to announce that all of its approximately 70 utility members have now signed Energy Conservation Agreements (ECAs) with the province's Independent Electricity System Operator. In them, the utilities commit to deliver conservation programs that will achieve a seven terawatt-hour reduction in provincial electricity use by the end of 2020.

"We appreciated the leadership of Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli last spring when he announced the new Conservation First framework which expanded the roles and responsibilities of our utility members" says EDA Chair Jim Hogan. "With formal agreements now in place, our members are preparing to move forward with our customers towards reaching aggressive provincial conservation goals. We look forward to our ongoing collaborations with the Ministry of Energy, the IESO and industry partners."

The ECAs commit each local electricity distribution utility to prepare a conservation plan to achieve a specific conservation target within its service territory over a six-year period. Targets have been determined with reference to "achievable potential" assessments specific to individual service territories.

Collectively, achievement of these targets will result in the province-wide electricity-use reduction of seven terawatt hours. That equates to the amount of electricity consumed by about 700,000 typical Ontario homes in a year.

Conservation plans will be filed by May 1, 2015, and some have already been. They will specify the mix of local, regional and provincial programs that individual utilities will use to pursue their targets.  

The recently signed ECAs represent significant change and improvement in the overall framework for energy conservation in Ontario, including:

• greater flexibility for electrical utilities to develop the mix of programs that will best promote conservation under the specific local conditions in their service territories;
• long-term and stable provincial funding for conservation efforts, combined with rigorous measures to ensure accountability and return-on-investment in conservation programs; and
• requirements for an interim review of local achievable conservation potential and of target achievement generally over the six-year life of the framework.

EDA members will continue to focus on programs allowing for the active involvement of all types of customers, and which offer cost-management opportunities. "Conservation is a collective effort in which all Ontarians have to play a role and from which we can all benefit," Hogan says. "We believe the new framework for 2015-2020 gives us the tools we need to succeed, and local electricity distributors are pleased to step up and lead this effort."

About the EDA
The Electricity Distributors Association is the voice of Ontario's local electricity distribution sector, which consists primarily of municipally and privately owned local distribution companies. The distribution sector delivers power to Ontarians through 4.9 million residential, commercial and institutional customer accounts. The sector employs 10,000 people directly and makes hundreds of millions in direct contributions to both municipal and provincial revenues.

SOURCE Electricity Distributors Association

Image with caption: "Electricity Distributors Association (CNW Group/Electricity Distributors Association)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150127_C7860_PHOTO_EN_11542.jpg

For more information and to arrange interviews please contact the EDA's Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications, Kevin Hanson, at 905-265-5337 or [email protected]