Introduction To Smart Meters

Smart Meters and Time-of-Use (TOU) rates are a province-wide initiative of the Ontario Government that will allow you to better manage your electricity costs and help Ontario manage its energy needs. Between now and 2025, Ontario must build almost a whole new electricity system. It is mandated by the Ontario Government that all residential and small commercial meters be changed to a Smart Meter by the end of 2010. Customer’s that are currently with a Retailer or will be with a Retailer still must have a Smart Meter installed.

The project to exchange approximately 16,000 current residential and small commercial meters with a new one, known as a Smart Meter will begin on April 19th and is expected to be completed by the end of November 2010.

The current meters only measure the total amount of electricity used in a billing period but the Smart Meter measures how much electricity is used on an hourly basis and the time of day it is used. This will allow the homeowner the ability to track their ongoing electricity consumption and when time-of-use (TOU) rates are in place the homeowner can shift some of the usage from the high demand peak times to the lower or mid peak times. Examples of this could be doing laundry after 9 pm on weekdays or on weekends when usage is all at the lower peak times and lower rate.

While TOU rates are not yet in effect in St. Thomas, customers will be transitioned to TOU rates beginning November 2011.

TOU rates mean that the price you pay for electricity will depend on the time of day you use it, as recorded by your Smart Meter.