Customers in the area are noticing new electricity rates and schedule adjustments on their recent bills as the winter time-of-use (TOU) hours and updated Ontario Energy Board (OEB) pricing officially started on November 1.
The updated winter schedule, which lasts until April 30, shows that commodity rates for electricity across the province have gone down compared to last winter.
During peak hours, from 7 a. m. to 11 a. m. and 5 p. m. to 7 p. m., customers will now be charged 18.9 cents per kilowatt hour, reduced from 20.3 cents per kilowatt hour in 2025.
In off-peak times from 7 p. m. to 7 a. m. on weekdays, weekends, and holidays, customers will pay 9.1 cents per kilowatt hour, down from last year’s rate of 9.8 cents per kilowatt hour.
Even though base electricity rates under the Regulated Price Plan (RPP) have decreased, Bluewater Power President and CEO Janice Mc Michael-Dennis pointed out that this reduction is counterbalanced by a cut in the Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER).
“The province changed the Ontario Electricity Rebate from 23.5 per cent to 15.7 per cent,” said Mc Michael-Dennis. “So that does sound like a big reduction, which it is, which would normally increase your bill. However, there were other changes made at the exact same time which offset that reduction. So net-net, about a modest decrease to a modest increase, depending upon customer consumption and price-plan.”
The OEB explained that the rebate percentage was lowered because of reduced underlying commodity prices affecting total pre-rebate costs on consumer bills.
The OEB mentioned that overall rate increases for customer bills will stay similar to previous years. According to its website, for an average residential customer using 700 kwh of electricity each month, the OER will lower bills by roughly $23 monthly.
Launched in 2019, the OER is automatically applied to total electricity charges for eligible residential households, small businesses, farms and long-term care facilities.
With peak demand periods shifting towards morning and late afternoon during these colder months, Mc Michael-Dennis shares some tips for managing power and heating expenses effectively.
“Using cold water instead of hot water reduces your load; trying to unplug anything that’s not being used – that old fridge or freezer you have in your garage might be costing you more than you realize,” she said.
Mc Michael-Dennis advised that one of the simplest ways to save energy is not worrying about timing but focusing on lowering your overall power usage instead.
The OEB also stated help is available for those who need assistance with their bill payments through programs like the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program.
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