News Release

For Immediate Release
November 3, 2006

HELPING FAMILIES SAVE ELECTRICITY AND MONEY

McGuinty Government Expanding Three Conservation Programs Across Ontario

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty today announced the government will expand three energy conservation programs to help Ontarians save money and reduce the demand on Ontario's electricity system.

"Ontarians are committed to building a culture of conservation and they want to make good decisions about how they use energy," said Premier McGuinty . "That's why our government is proud to launch these new tools and incentives to help make it easier for Ontarians to save money and conserve electricity."

The following three programs were successful in trial runs over the summer. Now, the government is building on their success by making them available provincewide under the powerWISE name.

• A Beer Fridge Bounty program will help take old, inefficient appliances out of service. Unplugging 1,000 old refrigerators will save enough electricity to supply more than 130 homes.
• A Peak Reduction program will reduce energy use during peak demand. Subscribers to this voluntary program can have a device installed that allows system operators to turn down air conditioners, pool pumps and water heaters for short periods when supply is stretched.
• A Summer Savings 10/10 program will offer residential and small business consumers an incentive for reducing power use. Cutting use by 10 per cent during a set period gives consumers an additional 10 per cent rebate on their electricity bills.

All three programs will be available through the Ontario Power Authority in partnership with local distribution companies in the summer of 2007.

"The conservation announcements show clearly that Ontario is becoming one of the leading jurisdictions in the world when it comes to conservation and energy efficiency," said José Etcheverry, Research and Policy Analyst at the David Suzuki Foundation. "These programs are strong steps forward and show that the McGuinty government is establishing a strong conservation culture in Ontario."

"These initiatives and programs demonstrate our government's comprehensive commitment to building a culture of conservation in every corner of Ontario," said Energy Minister Dwight Duncan. "Our collective efforts will help ensure Ontario has the power it needs to grow and prosper now and long into the future."

Expanding conservation programs to help improve the environment is just the latest example of how the McGuinty government is working on the side of Ontarians. Others include:

• Closing down the Lakeview Generating Station, the largest source of air pollution in the GTA
• Adding 3,000 megawatts of supply and taking action to produce over 10,000 megawatts of new electricity — more than any other place in North America and enough to power about five million homes
• Issuing directives to the Ontario Power Authority to develop 1,300 megawatts of conservation programs, which represents an investment of up to $1.5 billion in conservation
• Working to reduce Ontario's projected peak electricity demand by five per cent by 2007, and the government's own electricity use by 10 per cent by 2007.

"These programs are proof that we're changing the way we think about and use energy," said Premier McGuinty. "By making conservation a part of how we live, we're building a better future for all Ontario families."

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Ministry pages:

• Energy

See also:

• Backgrounder: What People Are Saying About Today's Announcement
• Backgrounder: Ontario's Conservation Plan
• Backgrounder: Expanding Ontario’s Conservation Programs