Conservation and Demand Management is Here to Stay

Canada News Wire
February 27, 2008

VAUGHAN, ON, Feb. 27 /CNW/ - Six of Ontario's largest local electricity distribution companies, cooperatively delivering energy conservation programs as the Coalition of Large Distributors (CLD), are pleased to provide an update on activities in their respective service areas during the fourth quarter of 2007.

In the fourth quarter of 2007, CLD members collectively invested more than $24 million on conservation programs. Since 2005 the group has invested about $100 million on conservation and demand management (CDM) programs with funding from its own revenues and funds from the Ontario Power Authority.

The CLD, comprised of Enersource Hydro Mississauga, Horizon UtilitiesCorporation, Hydro Ottawa Limited, PowerStream Inc., Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited and Veridian Connections Inc., serves 1.7 million Ontariocustomers, or 40 per cent of the province. In 2006, the second year of delivering CDM program in their respective service territories, these utilities helped their customers conserve a total of more than 300 million kilowatt hours (kWh), enough to power more than 33,000 Ontario homes for one year. The CLD has earned a reputation of delivering new and innovative programs with the goal of reducing electricity demand and creating a culture of conservation in Ontario.

"We have just completed our third full year of Conservation and Demand Management programs and are seeing the effects of this sustained effort" said Brian Bentz, President and CEO of PowerStream. "We are very proud of what the electric utilities in Ontario, with the help and support of the Ministry of Energy and the Ontario Power Authority, have accomplished in the last three years. Collectively we were challenged by the Minister of Energy to create a culture of conservation in Ontario and we feel that this cultural change iswell under way."

Working with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA), the Electricity Distributors Association (EDA), municipalities, other local electricity distribution utilities and the Government of Ontario, the CLD initially committed to delivering over $75 million in comprehensive conservation programs over a three-year period as part of the CDM spending approved by the Ontario Energy Board in 2004. Currently the CLD members are delivering additional CDM programs that are funded by the OPA.

"Conservation is becoming a way of life for Ontarians," added Bentz. "Andas part of our culture, it is here to stay."

Highlights for the fourth quarter of 2007 include:

ENERSOURCE
Enersource Hydro Mississauga announced that Demand Response customers received their first payment as part of their participation in the Independent Electricity System Operator's voluntary Stand By Generator program. Enersource has signed nine large commercial and industrial customers to its Demand Response program with plans to expand the Demand Response program into new markets in 2008.
- Enersource's ERIP program exceeded planned targets by registering 61 energy retrofit projects with total incentives distributed equalling just over $520,000. This allows Enersource to provide the Provincial government with approximately 3 MW of energy savings from its commercial, industrial and institutional customers.

HORIZON
- Horizon Utilities provided an incentive of $85,000 to the City of Hamilton for retrofitting traffic signals with energy-efficient LED technology at 413 intersections cutting energy demand by 401 kilowatts and reducing long-term maintenance costs.
- Horizon Utilities is sponsoring Generation Conservation, a 10-lesson energy conservation course designed to meet the requirements of the Conservation of Energy and Resources strand of the new Science curriculum, for 7,500 Grade 5 students in 200 schools in four different school boards in Hamilton and St. Catharines. Information about the program can be viewed by visiting: www.horizonutilities.com

HYDRO OTTAWA
- In the fourth quarter of 2007 Companies for Conservation recognized The Hudson's Bay Company (Hbc), The Royal Canadian Mint, and The Westin Ottawa Hotel for their significant conservation actions. Their support and commitment to establishing a conservation culture in Ottawa demonstrates true leadership and sets an example for others in our community.
- Hydro Ottawa hosted its 4th annual key account customer conference - Powering a Green Future - on November 13 & 14. This important industry event showcased the latest products, services and technologies available in the market place that pr costs.

POWERSTREAM
- PowerStream expanded its Learn to Conserve Energy Workshops to public libraries in Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Aurora. Piloted first at several Markham Public Libraries during the spring, workshop attendees received valuable tips on energy-savings program and home conservation strategies including the use of a microwave for cooking.
- In October, PowerStream-sponsored awards for excellence in conservation and sustainability were presented at the annual business achievement awards events of the Markham Board of Trade and the Aurora Chamber of Commerce

TORONTO HYDRO
- In partnership with Toronto Association for Business Improvement Area (TABIA) and City of Toronto, Toronto Hydro concluded another blockbuster Festive Light Exchange program. Thousands of Torontonians exchanged two old sets of incandescent lights for one new set of energy-efficient LED lights, slashing 2 Megawatts from the Toronto power grid.
- Toronto Hydro continued to promote its successful peaksaver program and installed 12,700 peaksaver switches in 2007 to reduce electricity demand by 15.6 Megawatts. Number of switches now installed totals38,800 for a maximum load reduction capacity of 45 Megawatts. Peaksaver also won the Platt's Global Energy Award in the Energy Efficiency category.

VERIDIAN
- Veridian's customers led Ontario in reducing peak electricity use in the summer of 2007, helping the utility win a 'Peak Buster' award from the Ontario Clean Air Alliance. While Ontario's peak demand for electricity dropped by 4.7% from 2006 to 2007, Veridian and its customers almost doubled this performance with an 8.6% reduction. Veridian placed first in the large utility class and second overall in what was the Clean Air Alliance's inaugural Peak Buster conservation challenge.
- Veridian President and CEO Michael Angemeer was awarded the 'Business Leadership Star Award' at the Green Star Expo and Awards ceremony held at the Ajax Convention Centre in November. The award recognizes individuals and companies for positive action in developing and promoting strategies or technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, encourage energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources.

In addition, the CLD installed 132,416 smart meters during the fourth quarter of 2007 bringing the total installed by the Coalition to more than 820,000 which exceeds the Government's objective to have 800,000 smart meters installed province-wide by the end of 2007. "We were very pleased to be the recipients of the Utility Automation and Engineering T&D's 2007 AMR Project of the Year Award in recognition of our accomplishments in meeting the 2007 targets under the Ontario Government's Smart Metering Initiative" said Brian Bentz.