Essex Powerlines has applied to change its electricity distribution rates and to establish a new deferral account.
If the application is approved as filed, a typical residential customer and a typical general service customer of Essex Powerlines Corporation (Essex Powerlines) would see the following increase effective January 1, 2025:
| Residential (750 kWh) | $6.19 per month |
| General Service <50kW (2,000 kWh) | $7.09 per month |
Other customers, including businesses, will also be affected.
Essex Powerlines also filed a related application requesting approval for a new deferral account and two sub-accounts related to the Distribution System Operator Pilot Project (DSO Pilot Project). Essex Powerlines states that the DSO Pilot Project is aimed at alleviating constraints on the distribution system in the Leamington service Area. The deferral account will be used to accrue commodity costs that exceed the cost of power for any kWh procured by Essex Powerlinesthrough the DSO Pilot Project. The sub-accounts will track local capacity cost (net of funding) and energy cost (net of funding and Hourly Ontario Energy Price). Essex Powerlines has requested that the new deferral account be effective from February 19, 2024 to March 31, 2026. The OEB will review both applications as part of one combined proceeding.
It’s important to review the applications carefully to determine whether you may be affected by the proposed changes.
Type: Rates
This application will be heard using the Cost-Based <$500 million Revenue Requirement performance standard (pdf). View an expanded timeline (pdf) of the procedural steps for this Rates application.
Find out more about OEB Performance Standards for Processing Applications and use the Application Planning Tool to assist you with an estimate of the milestones in this proceeding.
See the application notice
See the application (EB-2024-0022)
See the application (EB-2024-0096)
See all documents related to this application (EB-2024-0022)
See all documents related to this application (EB-2024-0096)
The above links will take you to our document repository
Participate
There are three ways to participate in the OEB hearing process: as an Intervenor, submitting a Letter of Comment or to Follow a Proceeding.
This table illustrates the different levels of participation. Find out more about participating in an OEB hearing, including becoming an intervenor.
| Participation Activities | Intervenor | Letter of Comment | Follow a Proceeding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receive OEB-issued documents by email |  |  | |
| Submit a Letter of Comment | | | |
| Listen to live broadcast of the oral hearing | | | |
| Participate in oral hearing | | | |
| Present Evidence | | | |
| Respond to questions about evidence | | | |
| Ask other parties to the proceeding questions | | | |
| Provide argument | | | |
Submit a letter of comment
You can submit a letter of comment that will be considered by the panel deciding the application. Unless the notice states otherwise, your letter of comment will be accepted until the record of the proceeding is closed (which usually occurs with the filing of the applicant’s final reply argument). However, you are encouraged to submit your letter as early in the process as you can. Depending on timing of receipt of letters of comment, the applicant will typically provide a respond to the issues raised in those letters. Your letter will be provided directly to the panel of Commissioners who will be deciding whether the application is approved. The panel will consider your comments in reaching their decision. The panel will only be able to consider comments which relate to issues which are within the authority of the OEB and relevant to the issues being considered by the panel.
More about commenting and privacy
All letters of comment sent to the OEB are placed on the public record. This means the letters will be placed on our website. Before the letter of comment is placed on the public record, personal contact information contained in the address, phone number, and email address fields of this form is removed. The individual's name and the content of the letter will become part of the public record.
If you would like a response from the applicant, please send a copy of your letter directly to the applicant, including your personal contact information. The OEB removes your personal contact information from your letter for privacy reasons before it is posted to our website.