Conditions of Service

The following is a list of conditions of service appendices that provide further background information on specific items.

These documents are identical to the appendices that appear in the full version of the document.

• Appendix A: Load summary form
• Appendix B: Economic Evaluation for Distribution System Expansion/Enhancement – Effective March 3, 2025
• Appendix C: Hydro Ottawa contracts
• Appendix D: Customer billing account information (new construction)
• Appendix D: New distributed energy resource facility account
• Appendix E: Contracts and Applications for Connecting Distributed Energy Resources and Electric Vehicle Chargers – Effective May 27, 2024
• Appendix F: 
  • Table A – Underground primary service connection – overhead primary line (radial, dual radial and loop)
  • Table B – Underground primary Service Connection – underground feeder (loop)
• Appendix G: Methodology for standard fees for various services
• Appendix H: Rate schedule
• Appendix I: Pre-amalgamation ownership demarcation points between the local distribution company and the customer

Keeping us updated

We often need to share important information about your account, including details about billing, upcoming power outages for maintenance or new services. Please keep your contact information up to date in your MyAccount profile so we can keep you informed.

If you need help updating your details or signing up for MyAccount, let us know.

Opening and closing your account

If you’re moving to, from or within our service area, you can open, close or update your account by completing our online moving form. Please submit it at least 10 business days before your move. We’ll add an account set-up charge to your first bill.

If a third party, like a lawyer or landlord, sends us a request to open or close your account, we need your approval first.

Not sure if your new address is in our service territory? Use the Ontario Energy Board's interactive service area map. Enter your address or select Hydro Ottawa on the right panel to check.

Conditions of Service Section 2.1.7.5: “Opening and Closing of Accounts”

Customer classification

We classify you as either a residential or business customer. Residential accounts are for personal use in homes, townhouses, apartments and condos. We determine business customer classifications based on electricity use, service size and billing demand.

Conditions of Service Section 2.7: “Customer Rate Classification and Designation”

Delivery charge

The delivery charge covers the cost of bringing electricity from power plants across Ontario to Hydro Ottawa, and then to your property. This includes building and maintaining power lines, towers and poles, as well as running local electricity systems.

Some of these charges are fixed and stay the same each month. Others vary based on how much electricity you use. These charges also differ depending on whether you are a residential or business customer.

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) approves all our distribution rates and service charges. You can find our current applications, reports and scorecard online.

We also collect payments for other charges on behalf of third parties. These include the actual cost of electricity, regulatory charges, the global adjustment (if it applies to you) and HST. 

Conditions of Service Appendix H: “Rate Schedule” 

Electricity retailers

You have two options for buying electricity. By default, we bill you for electricity based on rates set by the OEB.

However, you can also sign a contract with an electricity retailer. If you do, you will be billed for electricity based on the rate in your agreement with that company. Regardless of who supplies your electricity, you will still pay regulatory and delivery charges.

Late payment charges

We apply a late payment charge of 1.50 per cent per month (19.56 per cent per year) to any account not paid by its due date.
If you use an automated payment plan and a payment is returned due to non-sufficient funds (NSF), we will apply an NSF fee and a late payment charge to your account.

If you are struggling financially, contact us. We can discuss payment options and financial assistance programs that may help you.

Paying your bill

We offer many ways to pay your bill.

Conditions of Service Section 2.5.6: “Methods of Payment and Payment Plans”

Security deposits

We may ask business customers for a security deposit. We base this on your rate classification and billing history. We establish and manage security deposits according to the OEB's Distribution System Code.

Conditions of Service Section 2.5.3: “Security Deposits”

Overhead wires

All power lines are dangerous. Always stay a safe distance from them. This includes keeping tools, recreational devices like kites and drones, trees, and any other objects a safe distance from power lines. To help keep you safe, we have restricted zones and other rules for buildings and structures.

Conditions of Service Section 3.0.15: “Overhead Safety Clearances”

Dig safe: Underground cables

If you plan to do work that involves digging, like installing a fence, planting a tree or excavating for a pool, always confirm the location of any underground utilities before breaking ground. This ensures you avoid hitting underground infrastructure. Call Ontario One Call at 1 (800) 400-2255 or complete an online request at least five business days before you plan to dig.

Accessing our equipment

You will sometimes see Hydro Ottawa employees and contractors working in your neighbourhood or on your property. We need safe, clear and secure access to our equipment for inspection, testing, maintenance or emergency repairs. If something blocks our equipment, we may remove it without notice.

Be cautious of suspicious activity. If someone comes to your door and claims to be there to access equipment, ask to see their identification, including a business card and an ID card with their name and their company’s information.

Conditions of Service Section 3.0.4: “Hydro Ottawa Access to Equipment”

Landscaping around equipment

Good landscaping can enhance your home. It can even help you save electricity. When you plan your project, identify all electrical equipment on your property to ensure we can access it safely when required.

For example, you must maintain three metres (10 feet) of clearance, free of permanent structures and landscaping, around a pad-mounted transformer (the green box). We also have information about tree planting advice online.

Conditions of Service Section 3.0.4: “Hydro Ottawa Access to Equipment”

Tree trimming

Trees that are too close to power lines can compromise public safety and the reliability of our electricity. As a customer, you are responsible for ensuring the overhead power line leading to your home is clear of obstructions. If vegetation obstructs the power line, you may need to hire a licensed forestry contractor to remove it. 

Everyone shares the responsibility of monitoring tree and vegetation growth.

Conditions of Service Section 3.0.6: “Vegetation Management”

Post-project cleanup

If we need to work on electricity distribution equipment on your property, we will restore outdoor surfaces with sand, gravel and/or soil after we finish the project. You are responsible for repairing or replacing vegetation (e.g., shrubs, trees, lawns, gardens), hard surfaces, structures (e.g., decks, fences, patios, sheds, pools, play structures), foundations and buried utility services (e.g., telephone, cable, watering systems) disrupted by the repair.

Conditions of Service Section 3.0.8: “Property Reinstatement”

Moving our equipment

Our electricity distribution system typically uses an overhead design.

You can request to relocate Hydro Ottawa equipment. If we can move our equipment, you will be responsible for the relocation costs.

Conditions of Service Section 2.3: “Relocation of Distribution System Equipment”

Interruptions and surges

Sometimes, events beyond our control can cause power interruptions or voltage issues. Because of this, we cannot guarantee a continuous or constant supply of power. We are also not responsible for damages caused by power outages, voltage variations or power surges. We recommend you use voltage protection devices to protect your equipment.

Conditions of Service Section 2.4: “Conveyance of Electricity”

Conditions of Service Section 2.4.1.1: “Indemnity and Liability”

Planned outages

We sometimes need to interrupt your electricity supply to safely repair, maintain or upgrade our equipment. We aim to give you advance notice of any scheduled service interruptions, but emergency situations may prevent this. You can find information on current scheduled service interruptions online.

Conditions of Service Section 2.4: “Conveyance of Electricity”

Critical care customers

If you require an uninterrupted power source for medical equipment, it is your responsibility to ensure you have an alternate source in case of an outage.

Conditions of Service Section 2.4.2.2: “Critical Care Customer Responsibility”

Reporting an outage

You can report a power outage in four ways:

• Online through MyAccount (login required)
• Through the Hydro Ottawa App
• By texting "OUT" to PWROUT (797688)
• By calling our 24/7 outage line at (613) 738-0188

Our outage map also provides real-time information on active planned and unplanned outages on your street, in your neighbourhood or in your ward.

If you spot a downed wire, stay back at least 10 metres (33 feet), and call 9-1-1 immediately.

Conditions of Service Section 1.5: “Contact Information”

Stray voltage

If you have livestock and suspect there are high levels of stray voltage (also known as tingle voltage) on your farm, you can request an investigation.

Conditions of Service Section 2.4.3.2: “Farm Stray Voltage”

Attaching to our equipment

Do not attach any equipment (e.g., satellite dishes, security devices, fencing, signage) to our equipment or structures without our prior written approval. Contact our Service Desk to submit a request.

If a Hydro Ottawa employee identifies an unauthorized attachment, we may remove it without notice.

Conditions of Service Section 3.0.3: “Public Access to Hydro Ottawa Equipment”

Equipment ownership

If you are a residential customer and need to know if a piece of electrical equipment belongs to you or to us, refer to our home electrical system diagram.

If you are a business customer, refer to the full Conditions of Service document to determine equipment ownership.

Conditions of Service Section 3.1.1 “Point of Demarcation”

Conditions of Service Section 3.2.1: “Point of Demarcation”

Conditions of Service Section 3.3.1: “Point of Demarcation”

One service per property

The electrical service supply point refers to the connection point between your equipment and our electricity distribution system. You are typically allowed to have one electrical service supply point per property at a single voltage. This could be an underground cable chamber, or a pole or pad-mounted device. The supply point could also be on a public road or an adjacent property if we have land rights there.

In rare cases, we may permit additional supply points. We do not provide additional supply points for infill developments like coach houses.

If your electrical service connects to an adjacent property, we will not provide another supply point unless you remove the initial electrical connection.

Conditions of Service Section 2.1.1: “Supply Point”

Standard voltage options

We offer different standard voltages depending on the type of distribution system equipment in place. These include various single-phase and three-phase options for both secondary and primary services.

If you need a primary service, your connection must meet the standards in Appendix F of our Conditions of Service.

Conditions of Service Section 2.4.5: “Standard Voltage Offering”

Electrical service upgrades

Any maintenance, repair or upgrade to your electrical service equipment requires an Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) permit. Non-standard electrical service setups must meet our current technical service standards.

Conditions of Service Section 2.1.4: “Planned and Emergency Service Work”

Connecting renewable energy 

We will connect embedded generators or distributed energy resources (DERs) if it is technically possible. Our Embedded Generation Technical Guideline (ref: ECG0006) and Revenue Metering Specification (ref: GCS0008) outline the technical requirements for these connections.

Conditions of Service Section 3.4: “Distributed Energy Resource”

Design for generation projects

To help make your design and construction process easier, we provide standard construction drawings free of charge to developers, contractors and consultants.

Voltage guidelines

We maintain the electrical service voltage at your supply point according to Canadian Standards Association guidelines (CAN3-C235). If voltages fall outside acceptable limits, we will take appropriate steps to improve or correct these issues, based on the situation.

Conditions of Service Section 2.4.6: “Voltage Guidelines”

Contracts for generation

Most customers and developers must sign an Installation and Service Agreement when they apply to connect an embedded generation project to our electricity distribution system. Once you sign the agreement and the ESA approves your project, we will connect it. You can request some services related to an embedded generation project online.

Conditions of Service Section 2.1.7: “Contracts”

Net metering

Net metering lets you reduce your monthly electricity costs by generating your own electricity from a renewable source, such as wind, water, solar or agricultural biomass. 

Find out if you’re eligible to become a net metering customer. 

Legacy Feed-In-Tariff and microFIT programs

The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) met its renewable generation procurement target and no longer accepts applications for its Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) or microFIT programs. However, you might still have a contract with the IESO for the power your FIT or microFIT facility delivers to the electricity grid. The IESO’s website has information related to your microFIT contract, including program documents and contract management, as well as a guide to buying or selling a home with a microFIT facility.

Requesting service

Contact us to confirm your plans for a construction or renovation project. You can find more information on our Electrical service requests page for residential or business customers.

Repairs

If your electrical equipment needs repair, you can find information and tips online. We may charge a fee to isolate and re-energize your service.

The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) will need to inspect your service before we re-energize it.

Conditions of Service Appendix G-1.6: “Isolation/Re-energization”

Conditions of Service Appendix G-3.1: "Primary Maintenance Shutdown Fees"

Conditions of Service Section 2.1.5: “Inspections before Connections”

Renovations

Keep your renovation project safe and efficient. Our Residential renovation page includes an electrical services checklist and tips for hiring a contractor.

Be aware of power line clearance standards when you undertake a project, like tree trimming, near overhead or underground power lines.

Design specifications

To help ensure your design and construction project runs smoothly, we provide standard construction drawings free of charge to developers, contractors and consultants. These include Residential design specifications and Commercial design specifications.

Electrical design prepayment
Before offering to connect your service, we may ask for an advance payment to complete an electrical design review.

Conditions of Service Section 2.1: “Connection”

Conditions of Service Appendix G-3.10: “Design Consultation Fee”

We offer conservation incentive programs to help make your home or business more energy efficient.

Street lighting

Direct street lighting inquiries to the City of Ottawa. Contact them online or call 3-1-1.

Conditions of Service Section 1.5: “Contact Information”