Today, Todd Smith, Minister of Energy, released the following statement:

The post Province Wants To Stop Energy Board Decision Of Skyrocketing Costs On New Homes appeared first on Muskoka411.

These emails are not from or in any way endorsed by the OEB. The OEB will not email you or call you about energy rebates unless you have reached out to us first.

If you receive an email promoting energy rebates, even if it includes the OEB’s name or logo, please be careful.

Beware in particular of emails that are sent from @energyassistanceprogram and that refer to the “Energy Assistance Program” or the “Assistance Program”. That entity is not affiliated with or endorsed by the OEB. Some emails include links to an energyassistanceprogram.org website. This is not an OEB website. We are also aware of emails that are sent from @ontariogreensavings.com that refer to “Ontario Green Savings” and that link to the energyassistanceprogram.org website.

There are Government of Ontario and OEB programs available to help customers with their energy bills.  Please visit the OEB’s website at oeb.ca/billhelp for information about the COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) and the Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP).

No energy assessment, audit, inspection or home visit is needed in order to qualify or apply for any of these programs, nor do you need to purchase any goods or other services from any company. Beware of emails from any source that state or imply that these are needed in order to access CEAP, OESP or LEAP, or that state or imply that you can apply for these programs through their website.

Consumer Tips:

• If a company claims that an energy assessment or home inspection is required to apply or qualify for CEAP, OESP or LEAP, this is false.
• You should be cautious about sharing your personal information or utility account information with anyone.
• Know who you are dealing with. If someone calls you, ask for the name of the person you are speaking with, the company they represent and their telephone number.
• If you are concerned about any suspicious communications, you can contact us at publicinformation@oeb.ca or 1-877-632-2727 (toll-free within Ontario). You can also contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll-free at 1-888-495-8501.

SOURCE Ontario Energy Board

The post Beware Of Rebate Scams Pretending To Be From Or Endorsed By The Ontario Energy Board appeared first on Muskoka411.

The elimination of the seasonal class has been a contentious issue since the OEB first made the decision to transition Hydro One customers to rates based on location density in 2015. Hydro One submitted a proposal to retain the seasonal class in July 2019, but the OEB maintained their decision to do away with it in September 2020. In the coming weeks, Hydro One customers will receive letters with details on being moved to one of the three residential rate classes as well as the projected bill impacts. The OEB will hold a hearing, expected to happen later this year, to review Hydro One’s Oct. 2020 report on the elimination of the seasonal class and their proposed implementation plan. The plan includes rate mitigation measures for customers who are expected to see a total bill increase of more than 10 per cent.

“We’re very concerned about the rate impacts of this,” said Spencer Gill, vice president of customer services for Hydro One. “Our proposal does take that into consideration, and so we want customers to have their say on that as well.”

To voice their opinion on the implementation plan, customers can file a letter of comment, or they can register as an intervenor to be actively involved in the hearing. Those interested in participating as an intervenor must apply to the OEB by March 15, and details on getting involved will also be included in the letters to customers. Customers can contact the OEB’s public information officers about the proceeding via phone, but inquiries and comments made by customers on such calls will not be part of the record for the hearing. 

“It would be good if customers read the notice and decided to participate,” Gill said. “Many customers will see increases, but there will be a number of cottagers as well that will see decreases, so I think it’s important that they understand how this decision will impact them.”

The OEB has not yet decided whether the changes will take effect on Jan. 1, 2022 or on a later date.

“The implementation date will depend on the extent and complexity of the issues that may arise during the course of the current proceeding,” said OEB spokesperson Mary Ellen Beninger. “The OEB panel hearing the case will decide when and how the remaining steps in eliminating the seasonal rate class will be implemented.”

The OEB also has yet to decide the form of hearing, which could be oral or written. The board is asking customers who think an oral hearing is necessary to explain why by writing to them by March 15. 

If an oral hearing is selected, it may be held virtually due to COVID, Beninger said, but the panel will decide closer to the time of the hearing. During the proceedings, the OEB will also hear questions and arguments from intervenors, but the focus will be next steps in eliminating the seasonal class as the OEB will not reconsider their decision.

“The OEB has found that the distribution rates currently charged to seasonal customers do not appropriately reflect the cost to serve them,” Beninger said. “More information is available on the OEB’s website on the Seasonal Rates webpage. That webpage describes the history and current status of this proceeding and explains how the OEB determines the costs to serve customers.”

To file a letter of comment, or to review the reports and other information related to the hearing, visit the OEB’s website.

OEB Maintains Decision To Eliminate Seasonal Rate Class

The post Hydro One And OEB Invite Seasonal Customers To Voice Their Opinion On Implementation Of New Rates appeared first on Muskoka411.

The OEB released their decision and order regarding the issue on Sept. 17 after reviewing Hydro One’s proposal to retain seasonal rates. Groups including the Vulnerable Energy Consumers Coalition (VECC), the Consumers Council of Canada (CCC) and the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Association (FOCA) opposed the change due to the rate impact on seasonal customers, particularly because seasonal residents do not qualify for subsidies through Rural or Remote Rate Protection (RRRP) or Distribution Rate Protection (DRP). In their decision, the OEB stated that they do not and cannot factor provincial programs such as the DRP into rate design because the OEB does not determine how and when the programs may change or which customers are eligible to receive them.

“The submissions of the parties generally focused more on the bill impacts that would flow from the elimination of the seasonal class… The fact that there are impacts associated with the elimination of the seasonal class does not render the decision to eliminate the class in order to more accurately reflect those customers’ relative use of distribution assets incorrect,” said the OEB in their decision.

The OEB also said rate mitigation could play an important role in implementing the decision. In the past, the OEB stated that they wish to mitigate any large impacts to seasonal customers and expect Hydro One’s plan to “propose a phase-in period for those customers expected to experience a total bill impact of greater than 10% as a result of migrating to another class.” 

Imran Merali, Hydro One’s vice president of customer service, said in a statement that the company is disappointed with the OEB’s decision to eliminate the seasonal rate class for their customers.

“We advocated for a different solution that would have protected our seasonal customers and reduced the rate impact,” Merali said. “We want our customers to rest assured that their rate class won’t immediately change. The next step is to submit an updated report on implementing the elimination of the seasonal class to the Ontario Energy Board by October 15, 2020. We will continue to advocate for our customers throughout this process.”

To learn more about the issue, read our original coverage below. For more background on Hydro One’s efforts to retain the seasonal class, click here.

https://muskoka411.com/cottagers-await-answers-after-hydro-one-warns-of-possible-price-hike-for-seasonal-customers/

The post OEB Maintains Decision To Eliminate Seasonal Rate Class appeared first on Muskoka411.