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The OEB has issued a letter initiating a consultation to undertake a review of the regional planning process that applies to Ontario’s electricity sector. As the first step in this consultation, the OEB is re-establishing its Regional Planning Process Advisory Group (RPPAG) to assist the OEB in its review.

The OEB has published the 2021 Quarter 1 prescribed accounting interest rates applicable to the carrying charges of deferral, variance and construction work in progress (CWIP) accounts of natural gas utilities, electricity distributors and other rate-regulated entities.

The OEB has released its Report to the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and to the Associate Minister of Energy: Potential Projects to Expand Access to Natural Gas Distribution.

The OEB has accepted an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance from Caesars Entertainment Windsor Limited. The Assurance responds to non-compliance related to operation in the wholesale market without a licence.

The OEB has issued two letters providing guidance to distributors to support the efficient and timely connection of customers with Distributed Energy Resources (DER) projects. The letters reflect recommendations and advice from the DER Connections Review Working Group. One of the letters provides clarity on the information that should be exchanged between DER proponents and distributors at the preliminary consultation stage of a DER connection project. This information will assist proponents in determining if it is feasible to proceed to the connection impact assessment stage of their project. The second letter provides information for distributors to aid discussions with prospective DER proponents in relation to a sample protection philosophy for use with connection projects intended for self-supply that use non-exporting, inverter-based technologies.

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 accepted an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance from E.L.K. Energy Inc. following an OEB inspection into the company’s disconnection practices. The inspection found that E.L.K. Energy Inc. did not comply with certain regulatory requirements for disconnection. This reflects the OEB’s commitment to protecting consumers by ensuring that regulated companies fulfil all of their regulatory requirements prior to disconnecting a customer.

The OEB has accepted an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance from ENWIN Utilities Ltd. following an OEB inspection into the company’s disconnection practices. The inspection found that ENWIN Utilities Ltd. did not comply with certain regulatory requirements for disconnection. This reflects the OEB’s commitment to protecting consumers by ensuring that regulated companies fulfil all of their regulatory requirements prior to disconnecting a customer.

The OEB has issued a letter which sets out the Inflation Parameter Updates for Incentive Rate-Making Applications with Rates effective in 2021. The OEB notes that it is not mandatory that the calculated inflation factor be adopted for rate adjustments. In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the OEB is providing utilities to adopt an inflation factor less than that calculated by the OEB’s methodology for each sector. Utilities applying for 2021 rate adjustments must inform the OEB of their choice in accordance with the directions in the letter.

The OEB has issued a letter which sets out the Cost of Capital Parameter Updates for Cost of Service Applications with Rates effective in 2021.