2011 uniform transmission rates announced: OEB

The Ontario Energy Board the Board has recently announced the uniform Ontario electricity transmission rates for the 2011 rate year. The new rates are effective January 1, 2011. The 2011 uniform electricity transmission rates are based on Board rate decisions concerning three regulated electricity transmitters in Ontario: Great Lakes Power Transmission Inc., Five Nations Energy Inc., and Hydro One Networks Inc. Transmission.

Transmission costs represent about 7 of the total bill for a typical electricity consumer in Ontario and these costs are part of the delivery line on the electricity bill.

The new rates will result in an estimated average increase on total customer bills of about 0.5.

A residential customer consuming 800 kWh per month will see their total monthly bill climb by about 62 cents in 2011 as a result of the transmission rate increase.

The transmission rates announced today are primarily the result of a 7 increase in Hydro One's transmission revenue requirement. Hydro One accounts for 97 of the total electricity transmission revenue requirement for Ontario.

The delivery component of the customer bill is one of the four regular items that appear on all Residential and General Service electricity bills. This change to the delivery component of the bill is separate from other potential changes to electricity bills such as changes to the "electricity" component charges and changes to distribution charges.

The Ontario Energy Board regulates the provinceÂ’s electricity and natural gas sectors in the public interest.