Smart Meter Frequently Asked Questions
What is a SMART METER?
Currently, most homes are equipped with a meter that measures how much electricity was used during a billing period, typically one or two months. A smart meter on the other hand, records how much energy is used and when it was used, therefore allows different electricity rates to be applied during different times of the day. This empowers you, the customer, to regulate your electricity use during peak times and shift use to off peak times where cost of electricity is lower. The smart meter will enable you to control your energy costs by switching the time you do certain energy-using activities away from On-Peak to Off-Peak usage.
The Ontario Energy Board has not yet confirmed the mandatory start date for Time-of-Use (TOU) rates. When the mandatory start date for TOU rates is officially announced, Enersource Hydro Mississauga will inform customers.
HOW IS A SMART METER DIFFERENT FROM MY PREVIOUS METER?
A smart meter is a huge advance over Ontario’s current devices. Our old-style meters can only measure the total amount of electricity used over an entire billing period because they have to be read manually. That’s why, between actual readings, you might get an estimated bill that will be “trued up” at a later date.
A smart meter can automatically record when electricity is used. That’s what makes a smart meter so different. In the future, your smart meter will record your total electricity consumption hour by hour. And it will send that information to your utility through either a wireless or another form of technology.
Smart meters make TOU prices possible. With the ability to measure when electricity is used, different prices can apply at different times of the day. With time-of-use pricing, you will have a new way to manage your electricity use and your bills.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SMART METERING?
Here are just some of the benefits you’ll see as soon as your smart meter is fully operational and TOU pricing is in place:
1. You’ll be able to take action to manage your electricity bills. With attention to how and when you use electricity, you'll be able to contain or reduce your costs.
2. You’ll get real feedback about your electricity use. Your electricity bill will show how much you consumed within each TOU period – and, in the future, detailed information may be available to you via the Internet or by telephone.
3. You’ll get more precise electricity bills. The bills you receive will be based on the hourly readings taken and sent by your smart meter.
WILL I SEE A SMART METER CHARGE ON MY BILL?
The cost of the smart meter initiative will be recovered through the electricity rates paid by all customers in the same way that costs for existing meters and services are recovered today.
WILL SOMEONE STILL COME TO READ MY METER?
Yes, for now. Ensuring you continue to receive timely and accurate billing is of primary importance. Once all the smart meter systems are fully operational, we will then be able to rely fully on the smart meter system to handle everything and discontinue manual meter reading.
WHEN WILL I BEGIN PAYING TIME-OF-USE PRICING?
It is anticipated that the central data management system required to read your smart meter will be in place in the next few years. Once this system has been tested, consumers with smart meters will begin to be phased on to TOU rates. You will be notified well in advance of when you can start to take advantage of TOU rates.
HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO INSTALL MY SMART METER?
Approximately 10-15 minutes.
WHEN THE ELECTRICITY IS SWITCHED OFF, will it affect timers in my house? Will the food in my freezer be OK?
For the safety of our crews, a short 5-10 minute power interruption will occur during the meter installation but this should not affect the temperature in your fridge/freezer. As with any power interruption, you will need to reset clocks and timers on all equipment. You should also save open documents or turn off your computer for that brief period of time.
WILL I SEE LOWER ELECTRICITY BILLS?
With TOU rates, you’ll see the results of your conservation efforts – and you’ll save money if you can shift your heaviest electricity use to off-peak hours. Equipment like air conditioners, electrical heating, as well as ovens, dryers and even lighting, for example, can use a great deal of energy.
WHERE WILL THE METER DATA BE STORED?
The Government of Ontario's current plan is to develop and then host a central meter data repository, which is know as "Smart Metering Entity" (SME). All Local Distribution Companies (like Enersource Hydro Mississauga) would transmit customers' hourly smart meter data to SME on a daily basis.
Once the Government's meter data repository (SME) has been put in place and tested, the plan would be to allow all consumers to have access to their previous days meter data by 8 a.m. the following day. With access to your previous days meter data, you will be able to make personal choices to change your electricity usage patterns in order to take advantage of the TOU rates.
WILL EVERYONE IN THE CITY OF MISSISSAUGA GET A SMART METER?
Yes, eventually. The Province has established targets for the installation of smart meters for all Ontarians by December 31, 2010.
WILL I RECEIVE A SMART METER IF I AM CURRENTLY WITH, OR MOVING TO, A RETAILER? WILL I PAY TIME-OF-USE RATES?
Yes, you will receive a smart meter, but your rates will be determined by the terms and conditions of the contract you choose to sign.
HOW WILL TIME-OF-USE PRICING WORK?
It is important to remember that TOU is not yet in place in Ontario. Once it is implemented however, electricity prices will vary, based on when it is used, which includes by time of day, by day of week (weekdays versus weekend), and by season (winter versus summer).
TOU pricing will encourage Ontarians to shift some electricity use to off-peak hours. TOU pricing better reflects the way the electricity market works. Prices rise and fall over the course of the day, and drop overnight and on weekends, based on the amount of supply available and our levels of demand.
HOW CAN I CONSERVE ENERGY AROUND THE HOME?
For energy conservation tips, please visit www.enersource.com/powerwise or www.powerwise.ca
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SMART METERS?
If you have any questions about your smart meter, please contact:
Ontario Ministry of Energy
Phone: 1-888-668-4636
Internet: www.smartmetersontario.ca or www.energy.gov.on.ca
Enersource Hydro Mississauga
Phone: (905) 273-7425
E-mail: smartmeter@enersource.com
powerWISE® Internet: www.powerwise.ca/smartmeters