What's scarier than ghosts, goblins and things that go bump in the night?

-That one third of Ontarians don't know that phantom power is costing them money-

TORONTO, Oct. 25, 2012 /CNW/ - As 'fright night' nears, a recent poll by Hydro One indicates Ontarians should be afraid of what is going on inside their homes. According to a survey conducted by Vision Critical on behalf of Hydro One, a third of Ontario residents aren't aware that each year, phantom power is costing them approximately the same amount as running a second fridge in their home (1).

Phantom power, also known as phantom load or standby power consumption is energy that is being drawn by many household gadgets, electronic devices and appliances while they are switched off or not in use, but plugged in.

Natural Resources Canada states that in the average Canadian home 40 per cent of all electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are in standby mode.

When provided a list of common household products, only 16 per cent of respondents could pick out the product that uses the most phantom power while 17 per cent were unsure. Respondents between the ages of 18-34 did demonstrate a higher level of awareness than adults in other age brackets.

"Education can help customers save on their monthly electrical bills," said Vicky Sipidias, manager, conservation demand management, Hydro One. "People are eager to adopt new ways to conserve and save by taking big and small steps to reduce their energy consumption. With Time-of-Use prices switching to winter rates on November 1, it is the perfect time to look for new ways to reduce your energy consumption."

So what can you do to reduce the amount of phantom power being used in your home?

• The most effective way to eliminate standby power loss is to unplug the device when you are not using it.
  
  
• An easy way to turn your electronic devices all the way off, and limit standby power use, is to plug all electronics into a power bar that can be switched off when the electronics are not being used.
  
  
• Using a power bar with surge protector also adds additional safety and security because it helps protect electronics from damage or destruction that can be caused by surges.
  
  
• Make sure that the switch for your power bar is in a position where it can easily be turned on and off.
  
  
• If you have pay-TV services, you will probably want to keep your cable television converter powered up at all times, otherwise you risk rebooting problems.
  
  
• Look for the ENERGY STAR® label whenever you buy new electronics or appliances. ENERGY STAR® identifies the most energy efficient products, which reduce energy use even in standby mode.
  
  
• Unplug battery chargers as soon as the device is fully charged or when the charger is not being used.

Visit www.HydroOne.com/saveenergy, for low-cost and no-cost tips to reducing electricity use every hour of every day.

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.

1. Natural Resources Canada

SOURCE: Hydro One Inc.

contact Hydro One Media Relations 24 hours a day at 1-877-506-7584 (toll-free in Ontario only) or 416-345-6868. Our website is www.HydroOne.com.