Share your Earth Hour ideas with Toronto Hydro and let's see how low Toronto can go

TORONTO, March 27, 2012 /CNW/ - Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited ("Toronto Hydro") is urging customers to power down for Earth Hour this Saturday, March 31, from 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Let's see how low we can go! We want to hear what you and your family are doing during Earth Hour this year to conserve electricity. Visit our Facebook page and tell us what you and your family plan to do and see our top five ideas at facebook.com/torontohydro.  Toronto Hydro encourages customers to take part in this annual global initiative to demonstrate that together we can save energy and lower energy consumption.

"Earth Hour is an important event that demonstrates the profound power that collective participation can have on our electricity grid," said Chris Tyrrell, Vice-President, Customer Care and Chief Conservation Officer. "By simultaneously shutting off our lights, and other non-essential electrical appliances and equipment for an hour, we can save energy and do something good for our planet."

On Saturday, March 31, 2012, from 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Toronto Hydro will be shutting off all non-essential electrical loads and lighting at its own locations. Toronto Hydro will also be tweeting the collective load drop on our distribution system. Get the latest information during Earth Hour by following us at twitter.com/torontohydro.

Earth Hour is a global climate change initiative run by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) which calls on individuals and businesses to turn off all non-essential lights for one hour. During last year's Earth Hour, Toronto dropped 115 megawatts (MW) of electricity use during Earth Hour. Together, Torontonians removed the equivalent of approximately 12 skyscrapers or 35,000 homes from the City's grid.

Customers can turn every hour into Earth Hour by picking up Toronto Hydro's saveONenergy coupons, which will be featured in-store at participating retailers for discounts on energy-efficient products for the home, including qualified ceiling fans, compact fluorescent light bulbs, clotheslines and power bars. These coupons are available for a limited time, from March 30, 2011 through to April 29, 2011. For more information visit torontohydro.com/conservation.

More information related to Earth Hour and various Earth Hour events taking place across Canada can be found at www.wwf.ca/earthhour. For more information on how to conserve energy everyday, don't forget to visit torontohydro.com/conservation to view Toronto Hydro's full portfolio of conservation and demand management programs for residential and business customers.

About Toronto Hydro 
The principal business of the Corporation and its subsidiaries is the distribution of electricity by Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited. Toronto Hydro-Electric System owns and operates an electricity distribution system, which delivers electricity to approximately 705,000 customers located in the City of Toronto.  It is the largest municipal electricity distribution company in Canada and distributes approximately 19% of the electricity consumed in Ontario.
The information in these materials is based on information currently available to Toronto Hydro Corporation and its affiliates (together hereinafter referred to as "Toronto Hydro"), and is provided for information purposes only. Toronto Hydro does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, completeness or timeliness of the information and undertakes no obligation to revise or update these materials. Toronto Hydro (including its directors, officers, employees, agents and subcontractors) hereby waives any and all liability for damages of whatever kind and nature which may occur or be suffered as a result of the use of these materials or reliance on the information therein.

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Tanya Bruckmueller
Toronto Hydro
[email protected]
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