Continuing with our series on the province’s newest twist in it’s Energy Policy and the switch to time-of use billing. It’ll take effect province-wide by next summer. A number of utilities have already been on the new system for 2 – 3 years as a pilot program. Time-of-use means you’ll pay more for the hydro you use at various times of the day – based on peak power periods. Right now in Sault Ste Marie we pay 6.5 cents per kilowatt hour – for the first 600 kilowatts used per month during the summer months … for the first 1000 kilowatts in the winter months. Under time-of-use, customers are currently paying 9.9 cents per kilowatt between the hours of 11 am and 5pm … they’re paying 8.0 cents between the hours of 7 – 11 am and between 5 – 9 pm. Between 9pm and 7am the off peak cost is 5.3 cents. Keep in mind, we’re currently paying 6.5 cents for all time periods. People who traditionally use a low amount of power – less than 600 kilowatt hours a month – will have to make some adjustments in their time of use to avoid a noticeable increase in their hydro bills.
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