Business - Time-of-use rates (TOU) bill sample (small business)

Previous balance: Balance carried forward from previous bill.

Payment: Payment applied to your account since your previous bill.

Electricity charge: This is the cost of the electricity supplied to you during a billing period. 

You have the option of buying your electricity through the Regulated Price Plan (RPP) at a regulated price per kilowatt hour (kWh). The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) sets the RPP prices based on its forecast of the cost to supply households and small businesses over the 12 months that follow.

You are automatically part of the RPP unless you choose to purchase your electricity from an electricity retailer. If you buy your electricity under contract with an electricity retailer, the price you pay for the electricity that you use is set out in the electricity contract.

Residential and small business customers billed under the RPP can choose the electricity rate that best meets their energy needs and lifestyle: Time-of-use, Tiered or Ultra-low overnight prices.

With Time-of-use pricing, you pay a different rate for electricity depending on the time of day and day of the week you consume it. Time-of-use has three periods: on-peak, mid-peak, and off-peak. TOU rate periods vary depending on whether it’s summer or winter.

The off-peak period is in effect when the demand for electricity is lowest. Prices are lowest between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., weekends, and on holiday.

The mid-peak period is in effect when the demand for electricity is moderate. The Mid-Peak period varies depending on the season (winter or summer).

The on-peak period is in effect when demand is highest. When we all use electricity at the same time, we create a ‘peak’ demand. On-Peak hours and rates vary depending on the season (winter or summer).

The delivery charge covers the costs of delivering electricity from generating stations across the province to your home or business through high voltage (transmission) and low voltage (distribution) power lines. It includes the costs to build and maintain transmission and distribution lines, towers and poles and to operate provincial and local electricity systems.

A portion of these charges are fixed and do not change from month to month. The rest are variable and increase or decrease depending on the amount of electricity that you use.

The delivery charge also includes the costs of the electricity lost when it is distributed. It is normal for a small amount of power to be lost as it travels over power lines. The majority of residential and small business customers can expect a delivery line loss of approximately 3.38%. Hydro Ottawa collects and pays this amount directly to our suppliers.

Regulatory charges are the costs of administering the wholesale electricity system and maintaining the reliability of the provincial grid.

HST: Charges on the bill are subject to the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).

The Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER) applies to customers’ bills and reduces the pre-HST amount of the bill. 

Meter reading (current): To calculate total consumption, Hydro Ottawa subtracts the previous meter reading from the current reading.

Meter reading (previous): This is the previous meter reading to calculate the electricity used (the end reading of the previous service period)

kWh consumption: This is the amount of electricity you used in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Your account history information includes a breakdown of your average Time-of-Use electricity consumption.

Bill date: The date when your bill was generated.

Due date: To avoid interest charges, Hydro Ottawa must receive your payment on or before the due date on your bill. It is important to allow sufficient time for your payment to be received and processed, by taking into account the time required for payment to be transferred from your financial institution or to be delivered by mail.

Amount due: This box will tell you what amount needs to be paid. If you are enrolled in an automated payment plan “Bank Debit” will appear instead of “Amount Due”. If you have a credit balance, it will read “Credit Balance.”

For your information: It is very important to read the messaging that appears in this box. For example, it may include information about rate changes or your electricity retailer’s name and phone number if you have signed a contract.