Conservation program’s success earns award for PowerStream Electric utility recognized for high percentage increase in peaksaver ® sign-ups

VAUGHAN, ON – PowerStream Barrie Hydro Distribution earned recognition from the Ontario Clean Air Alliance (OCAA) recently for dramatically increasing the number of households participating in its peaksaver® conservation program. Over a six-month period, the company increased customer participation in the program by 282.8 percent, the highest percentage increase recorded by any utility in Ontario during that time.

PowerStream Barrie Hydro Distribution was one of three Ontario electricity distribution companies identified by OCAA in the organization’s annual PeakBusters Utility Challenge, a peaksaver competition which recognizes utilities that had the largest percentage increase in program participants within their respective service territories between March 31 and Sept. 30, 2009. Complete results from the competition are available online at http://www.peakbusters.ca/utility.php .

According to figures provided by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA), PowerStream Barrie Hydro Distribution on April 1 of this year had 2,152 registered OPA-funded participants in the peaksaver program. By the end of September that number had been increased to 8,238, an increase of over 6,000 in just six months.

The peaksaver program continues to be one of the PowerStream Barrie Hydro Distribution’s most successful conservation initiatives. Since the end of the contest period, another 1,650 households have been added. Including customers who signed up prior to the OPA’s funding of the program, PowerStream Barrie Hydro Distribution now has a total of 11,643 peaksaver participants in its service territory.

“We are extremely pleased to be recognized for our efforts to encourage PowerStream Barrie Hydro Distribution customers to participate in the peaksaver conservation program,” said Patrick Guran, PowerStream’s Chief Energy Conservation Officer. “By signing up for peaksaver our customers will not only help to reduce electricity demand during critical peak periods of restricted power supply but will also be contributing to a cleaner and greener Ontario.”

The peaksaver conservation program helps to ensure a reliable power supply in the province by providing the local electricity distribution companies the ability, during high peak demand times over the summer, to remotely cycle down central air conditioning units of participating customers, for a short period of time, through a peaksaver programmable thermostat installed at their homes at no charge. By reducing the amount of electricity needed when demand for electricity is very high, peaksaver participants reduce the need for the province to use coal-fired generating stations to meet the electricity shortfalls. These plants release greenhouse gases and contribute to air pollution.

For questions regarding the program, or to enroll, visit www.powerstream.ca/peaksaver or call 1866-323-0206.
About PowerStream Inc. PowerStream Inc. is the second largest municipally-owned electricity distribution company in Ontario, providing service to more than 315,000 residential and business customers in Alliston, Aurora, Barrie, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Beeton, Markham, Penetanguishene, Richmond Hill, Thornton, Tottenham and Vaughan. It is an incorporated entity, jointly owned by the City of Barrie, the City of Vaughan and the Town of Markham.

About Ontario Clean Air Alliance The Ontario Clean Air Alliance is a diverse, multi-stakeholder coalition of approximately 90 organizations including cities, health associations, environmental and public interest groups, corporations, public utilities, unions, faith communities and individuals, representing more than six million Ontarians. OCAA’s short term goal is to achieve the complete phase out of Ontario’s four coal-fired power plants by 2010. The organization’s long term goal is to achieve a 100% renewable electricity grid by 2027.