two joggers. tying shoes newsletter
two joggers. tying shoes newsletter
alectraNews Spring 2019
Vol. 3 Issue 1

Welcome to the Alectra Utilities customer newsletter: your source for timely and helpful electricity news that matters to you. Stay informed with short articles about Alectra services, new developments, support programs, Time-of-Use prices, energy conservation and safety tips, and much more.

Welcome to the Alectra family, Guelph and Rockwood!

We’re proud to announce that Alectra Utilities merged with Guelph Hydro on January 1, 2019. As Canada’s largest municipally-owned electric utility, we now serve over one million homes and businesses in 17 communities within Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe area, including Guelph and Rockwood. Guelph will be home to Alectra’s Southwest Ontario operations hub staffed with local powerline crews, as well as the new Green Energy & Technology Centre (GRE&T Centre) for research and development. Learn more about the merger and the GRE&T Centre at alectrautilities.com.

April is Dig Safe Month - Call before you dig!

The month of April is officially Dig Safe Month, right around the time when the ground begins to thaw. If you’re planning any yard work that requires digging, have a FREE underground cable locate done by Ontario One Call. They will notify the utilities with underground facilities in your area. Any buried electrical cables, gas lines, Internet or telephone wires on your property will be clearly marked before you dig. To request a locate, call Ontario One Call 24/7 at 1-800-400-2255 or submit an e-ticket at ontarioonecall.ca at least five business days prior to digging.

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The Ontario Energy Board approved Alectra Utilities’ 2019 distribution rates on January 24, which were implemented on February 1, 2019. Alectra (formerly PowerStream) customers will see a reduction of $1.57, or 1.45 per cent, on an average monthly residential bill (750 kWh of consumption). Visit alectrautilities.com/rates for more information.

Look what’s new on the Alectra Utilities website

We’ve added a new Safety section to the Alectra Utilities website, which you can access directly from the top navigation bar. The Safety section highlights Alectra’s commitment to safety, including:

  • Valuable public safety information and tips for home and the workplace;
  • Details on the “Call Before You Dig” service;
  • Downloadable educational materials to promote electrical safety to children and teachers at the elementary school level.

For more information, visit us at alectrautilities.com/safety.

Electrician installing a light
We’re here to help

At Alectra Utilities, we’re pleased to offer support programs and payment plans to help keep your account up to date. These programs include:

  • The Ontario Electricity Support Program, which provides monthly credits directly on the bills of eligible low-income customers.
  • The Low-income Energy Assistance Program, which offers onetime financial assistance to eligible low-income households.
  • Ontario’s AffordAbility Fund™, which provides eligible customers access to energy-saving upgrades.

To be connected with these support programs or determine a payment schedule that works for you, contact Customer Service at 1-833-253-2872 for assistance.

woman smiling while wearing a headset and looking at a computer
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Reminder: Earth Hour is Saturday, March 30, 2019 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Remember to switch off your lights for 60 minutes to show your support for reducing our environmental impact and creating a sustainable world (earthhour.org).

There’s a better way to manage your bills

Are you still receiving paper bills by mail? If so, you’re missing out on these benefits of ebilling:

  • Instant statement notification by email 
  • Easy to access, track, and store
  • Less environmental impact

To sign up for ebilling:

  1. Go to alectrautilities.com/myaccount and select your community.
  2. Log into your account, go to “My Profile” and click on the ebilling tab.
  3. Say “Yes” to ebilling.

Not registered for My Account? Simply click the “Sign-up” tab on the login page and follow the steps to register for Alectra’s online portal and ebilling.

woman looking at a bill
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Join the thousands of businesses that have received up to $2,500 in FREE upgrades to their refrigeration systems with Business Refrigeration Incentives. The program provides a free assessment and benchmarking of your facility, and up to $2,500 in FREE upgrades. Visit alectrautilities.com/offers-rebates.

Let’s stay connected

Stay up to date by visiting the Alectra Blog at alectra.com/news. Our recently refreshed blog site provides timely stories about energy conservation, safety, innovation, community, environment, and more.

For more Alectra Utilities news at your fingertips, click the social media icons on our website to follow us:

  • Check out our video library on YouTube.
  • See what our crews are up to on Instagram.
  • Follow us on Twitter to get outage updates.
  • Like us on Facebook for energy conservation tips and more.
  • Connect with us on LinkedIn for company news.
young couple smiling and looking at a tablet
We’re working hard to be your energy ally

At Alectra Utilities, we’re continuously investing in electrical infrastructure improvements that support growth and provide safe, reliable and sustainable power for homes and businesses in the communities we serve. In 2019, we’re planning to invest approximately $260 million in the Alectra grid across our service territory, including the installation of over 750 new wood poles and the renewal of approximately 213 kilometres of electrical cable. We’re committed to delivering value, service and reliability to you. Learn more about our investment in your community at alectrautilities.com.

Workers working on a power line

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