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peaksaver Frequently Asked
Questions What is
the peaksaver program? Electricity distributors along with support
from the Ontario Power Authority are making it simple for Ontarians to do
their part to ease the strain on the electricity system during summer peak
demand times. Ontarians can sign up for the peaksaver
program and help reduce the strain on the electricity system during peak
demand times. This program is being offered to you because you reside
in an area where electricity usage is higher in summer than in winter. Can I
enroll in the peaksaver program? For Residential
Customers: Any customer of E.L.K. who has central air conditioning is
eligible for the peaksaver program. You must own
the home or building. For Business customers: Business customers
are eligible if your air conditioners and water heater are approximately the
same size as those used by residential customers. If you have your
landlord or property manager's approval to participate, have them contact us
to enroll in the program. How does
the program work? With the permission of the eligible customer, E.L.K. will
install a device that allows for the central air conditioning electricity
usage to be briefly reduced during peak demand times - typically weekday
afternoons during the hottest days of the summer, and it is unlikely to occur
on holidays or weekends. It is anticipated that the system will be
activated five times per summer. Do I
receive anything for participating? Apart from reducing the strain on the
electricity system and benefitting the environment, a $25 incentive will be
provided to customers who sign up for the peaksaver program
and have the device installed. Will it
cost the customer anything to participate? It will not cost you anything to
participate and there is no maintenance cost. Just for signing up and
having the device installed, you will receive $25. How much
money could the peaksaver Program potentially save a customer? Direct savings from
the program will not be noticed on your bill, however, this program will save
everyone money by keeping the cost of electricity lower. Can I
really make a difference by participating? Yes. By participating,
you and thousands of others will allow us to reduce the strain on the
electrical system during peak periods. By doing very little on your
part, you are making a significant contribution to conserving electricity and
helping to improve our environment. We expect that the peaksaver
program will reduce the demand on the electrical system. This means
there will be less need to buy peak demand electricity that saves everyone
money by keeping electric prices low. What do
I do if I don't own the property? Can I still enroll? Yes you can
still enroll. Customers who do not own the property require a letter of
permission from the owner/landlord to have the thermostat installed at your
residence. Won't it
be sweltering when I get home? Residents who participated last
summer said they hardly noticed when the cycle-down had taken place.
The peaksaver event is typically transparent to the participant
over the four-hour period there is only a very small rise in
temperature. Air conditioners are only turned down, not off. Won't
there a be a power surge when it comes back on? No, technology takes
this into account. The remotely controlled devices only reduce the
electricity usage but do not turn off the air-conditioners. Also, the
air-conditioners participating in the program are managed randomly to avoid a
power surge. I live
in a town home, am I eligible? If your unit has a separate central
air conditioning unit, you are eligible for the program. Businesses
must use much more electricity than residential customers? Why are you
asking regular homeowners to take these measures? Everyone can
help reduce strain on the electrical system. peaksaver is
targeted at homes and small business but there are may conservation programs
for commercial properties and industry as well. Do
residents of Ontario have to participate? This is a voluntary
program. We're confident that people will find it to be an easy way to
help reduce the strain on our electricity system and benefit the environment. Will you
have access to any other systems in my house? Will you be able to
control my whole house? No, we will not have access to any other systems
in your house. We will only have access to the central air
conditioning. Do I
have to be home when this is installed? You will need to
make an appointment for the installation of the thermostat. I don't
want strangers in my house. How will I know if the people who arrive
are legitimate? We can understand your concern for security. Rest
assured that the installation will be done by qualified installers working on
behalf of E.L.K. What if
they break my system? Will they pay to fix it? The installation
will be done by qualified installers working on behalf of E.L.K. They
are weel trained and will carry appropriate liability insurance. What
about other damage to my home such as too much dryness? Who is
liable? The device installed only reduces the air-conditioner's
electricity usage during the peak times of the day and does not otherwise
change the air-conditioner's operation. What
does the environment have to do with it? In periods where electricity
demand is very high, it becomes more likely that we will rely on coal-fired
plants release greenhouse gases and contribute to air pollution. Couldn't
we still have brownouts or blackouts anyway? Does this really make a
difference? Every individual and business that participates is
helping to make brownouts and blackouts less and less likely so the more
people participating, the better! Why is
this program being run? We are always looking for ways to help our
customers and our province conserve electricity to ensure a continual supply
of electricity. Programs like peaksaver help everyone in
the long run by reducing the pressures on our electricity system. It's
totally green - peaksaver will help to reduce the emissions
caused by electricity generation. Do I
have to adjust my thermostat or change any other settings? No, participating in
the program is easy and requires no effort, time or investment. I have a
room air conditioner; can I participate in the program? No, the program is
currently limited to customers with central air conditioning systems. I
already have a high-efficiency AC system - should I bother participating in
this program? Although a high-efficiency system uses less electricity
than an older or less-efficient system, any and all electricity savings are
helpful during a peak-use period. |
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172 Forest Avenue, Essex, Ontario N8M 3E4
Tel: 519-776-5291 Fax: 519-776-5640 |
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