SMART METERS AND TIME-OF-USE RATES
General InformationA Smart Meter electronically tracks how much electricity is used and when it is used, paving the way for Time-of-Use (TOU) rates to help customers better manage their electricity costs. The provincial government has mandated the installation of Smart Meters for all residential and small business customers in Ontario. As of the end of December 2010, more than four million Smart Meters had been installed across the province with at least 1.5 million electricity customers in Ontario on TOU rates. PowerStream by the end of September 2011 had installed more than 314,000 Smart Meters in its service territory and completed the migration of the majority of residential customers to TOU rates. Small business customers in PowerStream's service territory are being switched to TOU rates starting in October 2011. Get the answers to 'Why Ontario is introducing Smart Meters', 'What are Time-of-Use rates?', and 'How you can start to prepare now'.
Conventional meters record only the total amount of electricity used for an entire billing period. A Smart Meter automatically records not only how much electricity is used but at what time of the day it is consumed and sends the information to PowerStream through a wireless connection, allowing customers to make informed choices to help manage their total electricity costs through TOU rates. It will provide customers with the opportunity to control how much they pay for electricity. Until a customer is migrated to TOU rates, they will see no change in their electricity bill even if they have a Smart Meter installed. PowerStream will be notifying each customer in advance of being migrated to TOU rates. Visit the Ontario Ministry of Energy's website for more information about its Smart Meters initiative. | 
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