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Today, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) Board of Directors announced Damien A. Côté as its next Chief Commissioner.

The OEB is establishing a generic deferral and variance account – the Extended Horizons Variance Account. This account allows rate-regulated electricity distributors to record the incremental revenue requirement impacts resulting from reductions in the forecasted customer capital contributions embedded in distribution rates as the result of extended connection horizon and revenue horizon for housing developments. The account is effective November 18, 2024.

The OEB has issued a letter providing guidance to support electricity distributors in incorporating innovation-related proposals in their rate applications.

The OEB has issued a Notice of Final Amendments to the Unit Sub-Metering Code which are intended to increase awareness among unit sub-meter provider customers of the consumer protection framework, and the related policies and programs that are in place to protect them. The amendments come into force on August 18, 2025.

The OEB has released an updated variance settlement factor that is to be used by electricity distributors to calculate a one-time credit or charge for consumers who choose to stop purchasing electricity through the Regulated Price Plan. This factor is called the "Final RPP Variance Settlement Factor" and is updated on the OEB website monthly.

The OEB has issued the final Notice of Amendments to the Distribution System Code. The amendments establish minimum requirements for licensed electricity distributors in communicating with customers when there are widespread power interruptions in a distributor’s service area caused by severe weather. The amendments come into force on May 5, 2025.

The OEB has issued a letter to electricity licensees and licensed natural gas marketers, which includes a summary of changes to the Reporting and Record-keeping Requirements (RRR) for the 2025 filing, updates to the RRR documentation, and a reduction in the frequency of reporting for electricity retailers and natural gas marketers.

The OEB has issued a reminder to electricity distributors of their obligations under the Distribution System Code (DSC) regarding the Electric Vehicle Connections Procedure and the connection of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE).

The OEB has issued a letter providing additional information and guidance for utilities in meeting their requirements to periodically report the results of an independent cyber security assessment based on the Ontario Cyber Security Framework (OCSF), including the reporting schedule to submit their assessment reports, and guidance on how to complete the cyber assessment reporting template.

The OEB has issued a Notice of Proposal to amend the Retail Settlement Code (RSC) and the Standard Supply Service Code (SSSC). These proposed amendments are intended to facilitate the implementation of the renewed market under the IESO’s Market Renewal Program (MRP). The OEB invites stakeholders to provide feedback on the proposal by March 18, 2025.