Toronto Star
October 12, 2006

Warming up by the electric heater will cost you a little less this winter, but don’t get too cosy.

Residential electricity consumers who aren’t on fixed-price plans will see rates fall nearly 6 per cent next month to reflect the lower cost of supplying power and a milder summer, according to the Ontario Energy Board.

The reduction means a saving of $6.60 for average consumers, based on a monthly consumption of 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Delivery charges are unaffected.

But Tom Adams, executive director of energy think-tank Energy Probe, called the cut a short-lived "reprieve" that amounts to only 3 per cent when delivery and other charges are factored in.

And "don’t expect it to last," said Adams, pointing out that, over the next year, electricity customers will have to start shouldering the cost of new gas-fired and wind-power generating units.