January 5, 2011Hydro rate up, bills downLocal hydro bills will be going up before they go down.The Ontario Energy Board has approved new “electricity distribution” rates for Hydro One Networks that will affect local customers. The new rates took effect January 1. The energy board says the delivery line of electricity bills will increase by approximately 6.9 per cent or $4.45 a month for Hydro One's “typical residential customers” using 1,000 kWh per month. The actual impact will depend on how much electricity the customer uses and their specific rate class. The OEB says the “delivery” line represents about 38 per cent of the total hydro bill. The actual base price of the electricity used - 6.4 cents per kWh - has not changed. According to a breakdown of “estimated bill impacts,” Deep River residents will see an increase slightly above the average, or $4.65 a month, pushing the total hydro bill to $173.74. However, once the province's new “Clean Energy Benefit” is factored in, customers will see a bottom line savings of about $12. The province announced the “Ontario Clean Energy Benefit” last fall. The benefit will take 10 per cent off hydro bills for the next five years. Natural gas bills will also be going down after the OEB approved new rates for Enbridge Gas, also as of January 1. Customers will pay 14.42 cents per cubic metre for the natural gas they use between January 1 and March 30. However, a “gas supply cost adjustment” will reduce the effective rate to 12.25 cents. The energy board says residential customers who use an average of 3,000 cubic metres of gas a year will save approximately $60. |
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