National Post

Hydro One mulls use of pre-paid meters

- Allison Jones

• Hydro One is considerin­g allowing its customers to use pre- paid meters for their electricit­y use.

The proposal is contained within a massive Ontario Energy Board applicatio­n, which also asks for a rate increase of 0.5 per cent this year and 4.8 per cent next year.

The applicatio­n says the pre-paid meters would minimize Hydro One’s financial risk by requiring customers to pay for energy before using it — in particular for customers who are deemed to be a high collection risk.

But Hydro One’s executive vice- president of customer care and corporate affairs said it would not be used as a collection tool, adding that the language in the applicatio­n to the OEB is very generic and “somewhat out of context.”

If the OEB allows Hydro One to move forward with pre-paid meters, they would be offered to customers as a choice and wouldn’t be forced upon anyone, Ferio Pugliese said.

The NDP believes the move would allow Hydro One to circumvent a winter disconnect­ion ban.

“They’re going to move forward with this and they’re going to go after anyone who has a bad credit score, anyone who’s in arrears — anyone who they think is vulnerable,” said energy critic Peter Tabuns.

Hydro One’s applicatio­n says once the pre- paid amount on a meter is used up, “power is cut off until the customer is able to load the meter with more credits.”

But Pugliese said that would “absolutely not” be the case, noting Hydro One was the first utility to voluntaril­y stop winter disconnect­ions.

“We are not about to go about the business of disconnect­ing people, especially remotely once something like this runs out,” he said.

Energy Minister Glen Thibeault stressed that pre-paid smart metres are in very preliminar­y stages and their inclusion in the approximat­ely 2,000 page applicatio­n is a small detail. They would be opt-in for customers, he said.

“This is about giving people choice,” he said. “This isn’t ... a Trojan horse. It’s two paragraphs in a rate applicatio­n that may not even get through.”

If the OEB gives its approval, Hydro One would study the pre- paid meters idea, then find vendors, then test the technology, then field test it, Pugliese said, stressing the idea is in a very preliminar­y stage.

 ?? CRAIG GLOVER / LONDON FREE PRESS ?? If the Ontario Energy Board allows Hydro One to move forward with prepaid meters, they would be offered to customers as a choice, an official said.
CRAIG GLOVER / LONDON FREE PRESS If the Ontario Energy Board allows Hydro One to move forward with prepaid meters, they would be offered to customers as a choice, an official said.

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