FAQs

​

Cost of Service FAQs

CLICK HERE for a list of Cost of Service Frequently Asked Questions.

​

When should I have an Electrical Inspection?

Electrical inspections should be done anytime any changes are made to the
electrical wiring of your home or business.

​

Who inspects the electrical work completed in my home?

The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is responsible for inspecting the electrical
wiring installed in all homes in Ontario.  They can be contacted by phone at 1-877-372-7233.  Their web page is http://www.esasafe.com/

​

What is a kilowatt-hour?

A kilowatt-hour [kWh] is 1,000 watts of electricity used for one hour of time.
A kilowatt-hour is the unit of electricity that your meter measures and for which we bill you each month period.  If a 100 watt light bulb is on for 4 hours per day for 30 days, that's 100/1000 x 4 x 30 = 12 Kwh.

​

What is KW Demand?

This is the instantaneous use of electricity, measured in KiloWatts (1 KW = 1,000 watts).

​

How many volts of electricity does a powerline carry?

A power line can carry 4,000 to 500,000 volts of electricity.  All it takes is 1/10th of an amp of current to be fatal.  (Current is measured by the Voltage divided by Resistance) NEVER touch, or go near powerlines that are down.  Phone Renfrew Hydro at 613-432-4884 to notify us.

​

Why does my meter still record electrical consumption when no one is at home?

Many appliances that we have in our homes today still consume electric power while we are away.  We may not notice them using electricity, because they are silent.  Here is a list of a few items your home may have that use power while you're away: aquariums, block heaters, dehumidifiers, cordless phones, answering machines, furnace fan motors, freezers, pumps, refrigerators, security systems, television sets, waterbeds, and water heaters.  Don't forget the extra cleaning, washing, drying and ironing that we do when we're preparing for, or returning, from a vacation.  That also uses energy and may very well offset the energy saved while we were away.

​

Do I have a Smart Meter?

In Renfrew, all residential homes and small businesses have had Smart Meters installed.

​

What is so 'smart' about Smart Meters?

Smart Meters communicate your electricity usage with wireless technology.  This eliminates the need to have a meter reader come to your home.  Smart Meters provide electricity usage on an hourly basis, allowing you to monitor your own home's electricity consumption more closely.  It also allows the province to implement changes in the electricity pricing in the future.

​

Why did this Meter Exchange take place?

The Ontario Government had a goal to install a smart meter in every Ontario home and small business by 2010.  This will allow them to implement time-of-use pricing.  The Province's plan for Smart Meters and time-of-use pricing is explained at the provincial information site.

​

Can I see details of my own electric use?

Yes! Sign up for Customer | Connect online account access to see graphs of monthly, daily and hourly use.

​

Will a smart meter be installed for those currently with, or moving to, a retailer?

Yes, smart meters will be installed in all residential and small business locations.  Rates will be determined by the terms and conditions of the retailer contract that a customer chooses to sign.  Customers will need to find out the impact of future time-of-use rates from their retailer. 

​

What is the Regulated Price Plan (RPP)?

Electricity is a commodity.  The actual price of it changes every hour of every day.  At the request of the Minister of Energy, the Ontario Energy Board developed an electricity price plan that provides stable and predictable electricity pricing, encourages conservation and ensures the price consumers pay for electricity reflects the price paid to generators.  This rate structure is the default for when you get electricity service.  The RPP is reviewed and prices or time-of-use buckets are set Nov 1 each year.

​

Retailers

Renfrew Hydro is not associated with electricity retailers in any way.  Their conduct is regulated by the Ontario Energy Board.  They are not 'contracted' by the government or your local power company.

• Renfrew Hydro does not send people to your door to discuss your hydro bill.

• You do not have to show your hydro bill to anyone who asks to see it.

• You do not have to sign up with a retailer to get electricity.  By default, Renfrew Hydro will provide you with electricity based on the price regulated by the province.  This is the Regulated Price Plan rate.
   

Before you begin discussions with someone about your electricity rates, ensure that you write down the Company name, Salesperson Name and ID number.  Ask to see their ID badge - this is required by the Retailer Code of Conduct.

 

You don't have to switch to a retailer but, if you do, you will be asked to enter into a contract with them.  The contract
will be legally binding, so be sure to see it in writing then carefully review it before signing or before providing your
account number to a retailer on the phone.  Be sure to ask questions and compare terms carefully without feeling any
pressure.

​

Please be aware that any price per kilowatt hour quoted by an electricity retailer pertains only to the 'Your Electricity
Charges' portion of your hydro bill.  It doesn't apply to any of the other charges.  The "Global Adjustment" may or may not
be part of their quote.  The "Global Adjustment" is already part of the RPP and can double a retailer's quoted price.
This means that a retailer should not use the total on the bill to compare prices.

​

When does my meter get read?

Meter readings are now done electronically.  With more than 99% of homes and small businesses now equipped with Smart Meters, manual meter reading is a thing of the past for most Renfrew Hydro customers.  Smart Meter technology automatically records your electricity consumption every hour and sends it directly to Renfrew Hydro each day.

​

Can I see details about how much and when I use electricity?

Smart Meters measure your electricity usage each hour.  Sign up for our online account access to see your hourly usage and compare daily usage. Go to Customer | Connect.

​

Opening an Account

To open an account you will need to complete an online  application form.  If you require a paper copy of the application form please contact the office and we will mail you an application or make available for pickup.

​

Moving an Account

If you are moving to another address within Renfrew, you need to close your old account and open a new one.  We need a minimum of five working days to make the change. You can change your account by contacting our office with the following information:

• your current Renfrew Hydro account number

• your name, address and telephone number

• whether you are a tenant or owner

• your new address and telephone number

• the final date at your existing address and the initial date at your new address

• be prepared to provide proof of identification
   

Closing Your Account

You can close your account by notifying us at least 5 working days prior to your move.  We will need to know:

• your current Renfrew Hydro account number

• your name, address, telephone number and email address

• whether you are a tenant or owner

• the final date on which the meter should be read, and what arrangements, if any, are required to access the meter

• a forwarding address for your final bill

• the name of the new occupant/owner
   

Security Deposits

Security Deposits are charged for new Commercial accounts.  For complete details, please contact Customer Service 613-432-4884.

​

Paying Your Bill

A variety of payment methods are available.  See our payment options page.