Summer Electricity Bills Have Been Mailed Out

Toronto Hydro Has Ways to Help Customers Cope with High Bills

TORONTO, Oct. 8, 2013 /CNW/ - Summer seems to be hanging on a little longer but the cooler temperatures will soon move in.  As we shut down the air conditioner thanks to the fall climes, it's easy to forget that this past summer we enjoyed a few heat waves. The bills arriving to customer homes in September and October can reflect usage as far back as July. For some, air conditioners were on full-blast, causing electricity use to soar.  Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited ("Toronto Hydro") has a number of tools on torontohydro.com to help customers understand their usage and associated costs.  As well, financial assistance is available through the LEAP program for eligible low-income customers.

The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) was developed by the Ontario Energy Board.  Toronto Hydro offers this program year-round to provide one-time emergency relief up to $500 (per year) to eligible low-income customers who are experiencing difficulty paying already 'past due' bills.

Toronto Hydro will provide both written and telephone notification reminders of past due bills, but unless the customer asks for assistance, the end result could be disconnection of the electricity service.  Disconnection is always the last resort.  Often, payment plans can be arranged. Customer Care representatives can also provide more information about the LEAP program.  The program is confidential and delivered in Toronto through the Neighbourhood Information Post.

Online Tools to Help:

• Bill Checklist - customers can walk through the checklist to see what may have impacted their bill: Summer visitors? An added appliance? Kids home from school?
• The Time-of-Use (TOU) portal: customers can view their consumption on an hourly, daily or monthly basis. Did you use more power during peak-price or off-peak price times?

FACTS ON LEAP

• From January 1 to August 31, 2013, LEAP has assisted 1,327 low-income households in Toronto.
• The average payout is approximately $400 per household.
• In the same period last year, almost 950 customers received LEAP funding.
• There are nine local access centres across Toronto that provide information on LEAP. Eligibility criteria and access centre locations are posted on the website at torontohydro.com/leap.

Our World. Our City. Our Responsibility. See what we are doing to be safe, reliable and sustainable at torontohydro.com/responsibility

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Image with caption: " PHOTO: screenshot of Toronto Hydro's TOU portal. (CNW Group/Toronto Hydro Corporation)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20131008_C8252_PHOTO_EN_31853.jpg

SOURCE: Toronto Hydro Corporation

Tanya Bruckmueller, Toronto Hydro-Electric System
[email protected]

W: 416-542-2621
C: 416-903-0440