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Hydro rates going up By Tim Foran CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF Think of it like daylight savings lime - except instead of adjusting the lime, you need t0 adjust behav- iour. Starting today the season- ai peak limes for electricity pricing set by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) changes to the summer schedule from the winter one. The bi-annual change is accompanied with a rate hike that will likely cost the average Milton Hydîu urban customer an extra few bucks on their monthly electriciîy bill. The rate hike and the schedule change affect Milton Hydro customners, but not those who have a con- tract with an elecîriciîy retailer. According lu Milton Hydro, about 85 per cent of ils customers - urban resi- dents - are charged based on time-of-use pricing while the remainder in the rural area stili pay according to the OEB's regulated price plan. In the time-of-use plan, each day is split mbt three Dey of 66. Wurk lime TiM.-af-IJ. Pla. <oatzikWN) Weekertds & hofidays AJI dey Off-Pea 4.2 summCne wekdays 7:00 a.m. La il uOC am M.d-pcak 7.6 5:O0paý 00 1aiOO.t. med-Peak 7.6 10:00 p.m. tu 7:00 arn. Off-peak 4.2 different periods - on-peak, mid-peak, and off-peak - with corresponding differ- ences in electrtcity prices. While weekends and holi- days remain off-peak ail year long, the May 1 t0 October 31 period's weekday on-peak period is from Il a.m. 10 5 p.m. In the winter period jusl winding up, the peak limes are in the early morn- ings and afternoons. The on-peak prices for the upcoming summer sea- son will nise to 9.1 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) from 8.8 cents, while the mid- peak goes to 7.6 from 7.2 and the off-peak t0 4.2 from 4 cents. The OEB estimates the increase will resuit in an extra $2.70 in monîhly elec- lricity charges for a resident using 1,000 kWh, though il said the typical customer uses less electricity For Milton Hydros rural customners, the OEffs regu- lated price plan (RPP) oper- ates différently, with one rate charged up 10 a îhreshold and a higher price charge d for usage beyond that limit. That means those RPP cus- tomers, which make up the vast majorily of provincial elecîricity users, will pay 5.7 cents per kWh for the first 600 kWh used and 6.6 cents above that usage limit. The winter season îhreshold is 1,000 kWh. Though the price hike is only . 1 cents extra per kWh, the OEB said the increase combined with the normal threshold change means the average resident using 1,000 kWh will pay $4.60 more on their monîhly bills. Milton Flydru said ils rural customeis would be swiîched over lu time-of-use pricing by the end of îhe summer. The utility is cur- rently the only one in Ontario tIsat bas mandaîory time-of-use pricing. Tim Foran can be reached at tforan@miltoncanadian- champion.com. THOUSANDS 0F SATPISFIED CUSTOMERS Protect What You Value Most.... Tà. Advantage of this Year's HOME RENOVATION TAX CREDIT! We offer: MrFree Next Day Written Estimates Mr Guaranteed Workmanship Mr Competitive Pricing EKReferences Available Ask about our Premlum Roofing Packages! FUL ICNE 2 'LIE WSI I E5 Nipissig d. il on :5 87m22