London Hydro is looking for homeowners interested in testing out new pricing structures and smart energy devices.
The utility is among three in the province selected by the Ontario Energy Board to run a pilot project which gives customers greater choice in the price they pay for electricity, and tips based on real time usage to lower their consumption rates.
"The idea is to help customers understand when and how they are using electricity. Hopefully with that and with some energy tips that would be provided it would allow them to shift to the off peak time or the less expensive time for using electricity," said Nancy Hutton, London Hydro spokesperson.
Customers have to opt into the Real Time Pilot Package or the Critical Peak Pricing Pilot Package. Both programs use an app developed by London Hydro to monitor and control appliances. The real time program will see a smart energy hub and smart plug installed in the home. Devices plugged into the smart plug, which allows up to 15 amp loads, can be controlled from a smart phone through the app.
"You also have, through the app, access to real time pricing. So what that means is with the smart meters they record the usage every five minutes. With a smart app that information is loaded through a program we have developed and customers can actually see how much energy they've consumed at any given time during the day," said Hutton. "So if you're doing a major task around your home and wanted to monitor or look at how much energy was used during that task you can do that through this program."
The critical peak program offers the same as the real time program but with the addition of a load controller wired into the home's electrical panel. The homeowner then selects up to five appliances that would be switched off using the controller by London Hydro for two hours periods during times when hydro usage is soaring.
"For customers with the controller their off peak period would be one cent less per kilowatt hour for the entire year that they are involved in the program. So they would get the reduced off peak price. If they don't override them then all of their electricity consumption off peak would be at 5.5 cents per kilowatt hour instead of 6.5 cents," said Hutton.
The pilot program is being used to test alternatives to the current approach to time-of-use pricing and will run for one year beginning this winter.
In London, 2,000 customers can choose to sign up for each of the two programs at no cost. Those who opt in will also be given 150 Aeroplan Miles. The only obligation is that pilot program customers must participate in two surveys in the middle and end of the test period. However, customers can choose to leave the program at anytime.
London Hydro was the first utility in Ontario to be approved for the pilot program. Oshawa PUC Networks Inc. and Alectra Utilities, which serves the Hamilton and St. Catharines, Peel, Simcoe, and York Regions, were also approved for the pilot.
To register for the London pilot program or for more information visit jointhepilot.ca.
