April 19, 2012

HIGHER HYDRO RATES NO SURPRISE UNDER DALTON MCGUINTY

QUEENS PARK -- Todays announced electricity rate hike effective May 1, 2012 should sadly not shock Ontarians, said PC Energy Critic and Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli. "This should come as no surprise to anyone. The Auditor General warned us prices would increase 46% by 2015, said Fedeli. This is all due to the Liberals' failed energy experiments that have resulted in excess wind power replacing clean renewable waterpower and causing nuclear plants to shut down, added Fedeli. So when you're spilling water, venting steam and draining jobs, prices have nowhere to go but up." The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) released Regulated Price Plan (RPP) rates for hydro customers on both tiered and time-of-use (TOU) pricing Thursday. For consumers on TOU pricing, the OEB says the increase is about $4 or 3.3 per cent of the total monthly bill for a consumer using 800 kWh a month. The on-peak price is rising 0.9 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 11.7 cents. For those on tiered pricing, a monthly increase of $5.80, or about 5.1 per cent for a consumer using 800 kWh per month is expected. The OEB is blaming this price increase on the changing energy supply meaning that FIT contracts are continuing to drive up energy costs. The Ontario PC Caucus believes energy policy should be focused on creating an efficient supply of power at affordable prices period, Fedeli said. That is why we are calling for an end to the unsustainable FIT program that is driving up energy bills, Fedeli continued. We want affordable energy in Ontario so businesses can create jobs and restore Ontario as the greatest place in the world to live, work, and raise a family.

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