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About Us - Company Fast Facts
Fast Facts About Energy+:
- Cambridge and North Dumfries Hydro Inc. is a local distribution company.
- The company structure is an Ontario business corporation. The shareholders are the City of Cambridge and the Township of North Dumfries.
- The Ontario Energy Board regulates our activities and defines performance standards.
- As a regulated utility we do not make a profit from selling energy. We simply pass through the costs without markup.
- We earn the majority of our revenue from delivery. We deliver commodity, also known as hydro, electricity or energy.
- We deliver commodity to over 48,000 customers. Our 300 square kilometer service territory covers the City of Cambridge and the Township of North Dumfries.
- Our utility also bills water and sewer services for the City of Cambridge and the Township of North Dumfries.
- Our local distribution rates (delivery charges) are approved by the Ontario Energy Board. We collect a number of Provincially Regulated Charges that are allocated into variance accounts.
- The focus of our 84 professional staff is "to deliver". We deliver.
Our Historical "Time Capsule"!
Since 1906 the utility has a long and proud history in the community. The original Galt, Preston and Hespeler Hydro utilities were among the first in the province to join together to create an organization of "public utilities".
Originally, Cambridge and North Dumfries Hydro-Electric Commission was formed on January 1, 1978, to distribute electricity to customers in the City of Cambridge, and the Township of North Dumfries. The utility was governed by a board of Commissioners made up of the Mayor of the City of Cambridge, the Mayor of the Township of North Dumfries and three Commissioners elected by the voters during municipal elections.
Energy+ is our wordmark introduced in the fall of 1997. Pronounced as Energy Plus - it was intended to increase our name recognition and provide a focus around recognizing innovative ways we provide value added services to our customers. We are proud of the track record of our employees, our service and our reliability.
Our structure changed in January 2000. We are no longer a Commission.
Today we are a business corporation under the rules of the Ontario business corporations act. We are governed by a Board of Directors, appointed by our Shareholders.
The Board of Directors is responsible for setting the direction for the future.
The President and CEO of the company is responsible for the day to day activities of the staff and facilities, supported by the management team.
As a distribution company in the province of Ontario, we are regulated by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB). All rate changes must be approved by the OEB. In addition to our rates being regulated, we must adhere to a number of performance measurements established by the OEB and referred to as Performance Based Regulations.
The water and sewer rates are separate and are set by the City and Township. We bill the water and sewer rates on behalf of the City and Township.
On May 1, 2002 the electrical industry across the province opened to competition. This date is referred to as "Market Opening". On that date, "electricity" became a commodity traded in the competitive marketplace with a fluctuating price.
In May 2002, customers had the option of signing a contract with a Retailer to be billed at a predetermined fixed contract rate for their energy usage. Those customers that did not sign a contract were billed for their energy use based on what it costs us to purchase the energy, on their behalf, in a fluctuating marketplace.
A competitive electrical market in Ontario brought with it a lot of change and a complicated set of regulations and new interactions required between different industry players. The price volatility of energy after market opening was unexpected. Ontario's increasing demand for energy coupled with a declining supply meant volatility in what was already a new climate for Ontarians. As a temporary measure, to minimize disruption to consumers the government initiated further changes to the regulations.
In 2003 the government introduced "Designated Customers" and "Non-Designated Customers". Based on size and type of business those customers that were "Designated" were eligible to purchase commodity at a fixed flat rate of 4.3 cents per kwh. Designated customers included residential and small users, as well as a host of other named users including farmers, charitable organizations, etc. The balance of customers were Non-Designated and subject to fluctuating market prices.
In November 2003 with the change in provincial government, came new announcements about the electrical industry. Early in 2004 changes will be implemented including a new rate block structure, and an increased responsibility for your local utility to provide demand side management initiatives and education about energy conservation.
As always, once the regulations have unfolded and details are known, we your local utility - will deliver.
If you have questions please contact us:
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