Hydro One Hits Home Run With Successful Completion Of Electricity Monitor Deployment In Northern Ontario

Blue Line Innovations, maker of the PowerCost Monitor, announced that it is nearing completion of a program that has seen nearly 30,000 of the devices distributed to Hydro One customers in northern Ontario.

This Hydro One program is the first and largest deployment of its type in the world. It has proven to be very popular with customers.

Allan Senter of Azilda, Ontario took advantage of the program and has used his monitor for several months; states Mr. Senter, "For the past six to eight years I read my own hydro meter; the PowerCost Monitor absolutely simplified the process. (It) allows you to contemplate buying a new appliance that's energy efficient; you can monitor each (appliance) and the difference is obvious."

On the strength of the northern Ontario program, Blue Line Innovations received the Association of Energy Service Professionals Award for Outstanding Energy Efficiency Technology Deployment of the Year (2006).

Hydro One offered the PowerCost Monitor, which retails for $150, free to their customers in northern Ontario. (Customers do have to pay an $8.99 shipping charge.)

The PowerCost Monitor gives users real-time feedback on their electricity consumption. Its smart technology shows homeowners how much electricity is costing them from moment-to-moment in real-time, in dollars and cents. Users have seen reductions of up to 20% on their hydro bill.

Jay McMillan, VP Sales and Marketing, of Blue Line Innovations said that the company was extremely pleased with the Northern Ontario program.

"Communities across northern Ontario responded positively to the Hydro One program and to the PowerCost Monitor. It is gratifying to see the success of the program and to see our technology helping consumers conserve energy and put money back into the family budget. It's a great complementary tool to the smart meter initiative."

The Government of Ontario is promoting smart meters as a way to create a culture of conservation in Ontario; the PowerCost Monitor deployment by Hydro One is a first step in that process.

There are still some free PowerCost Monitors available for Hydro One customers in northern Ontario only. Call 1-866-607-2583 or visit www.save-electricity.ca while quantities last.