- Cornwall Electric's unique situation in Ontario has been advantageous to Cornwall Electric customers in the past and we expect that it will be an advantage again in the future.
- Cornwall Electric is not connected to the Ontario electricity grid. It is connected to the Cedars Rapids Transmission lines that are owned by Hydro Quebec and are part of the New York State power grid. The Ontario government recognizes that Cornwall Electric customers have been, and continue to be, independent from the Ontario grid. We cannot take power from, nor provide power to, the Ontario grid.
- Before we could switch to the Ontario grid, we would need to assess the long-term feasibility of building the necessary transmission lines and transformer stations since this would require significant capital investment. Cornwall Electric will continue to assess this option to determine whether there is a mutually beneficial business case for connecting to the Ontario grid in the future.
- The Ontario government has passed two important regulations to recognize that Cornwall Electric customers have been and continue to be independent from the Ontario hydroelectric grid.
- First, Cornwall Electric customers will not be subject to the Ontario Hydro Debt Retirement Charge. This is a new charge, effective May 1, 2002, payable by electricity consumers elsewhere in the province. Not having to pay the Debt Retirement Charge will save our customers an estimated $4.6 million per year.
- Second, Cornwall Electric will remain a regulated full service utility - both a distributor and supplier of electricity - until the expiry of the Hydro Quebec long-term supply contract at the end of 2019.
- Cornwall Electric customers will continue to receive both their electricity supply and distribution services through Cornwall Electric. We are committed to providing security of supply at the lowest possible costs.
- Cornwall Electric's distribution rates, which represent about 15% of the total bill, are regulated by the 35-year Franchise Agreement between the City of Cornwall and Cornwall Electric. The remaining 85%, which represents the cost of power, is strictly a pass-through based on wholesale market prices.
- Under the terms of the Franchise Agreement, Cornwall Electric must now pass the commodity price through to the customers at cost. Our revenue comes from the delivery of energy (wires cost). The amount of delivery revenue is set by a formula addressed in the Franchise Agreement between the City and Cornwall Electric.
- Cornwall Electric customers should not sign contracts for electricity with door-to-door sales people or through advertisements. These contracts are for energy being sold on the Ontario grid; Cornwall Electric is not connected to the Ontario grid. All customers will continue to receive their supply from Cornwall Electric.
- All our power is environmentally friendly. 95% of our power is generated by the St. Lawrence River at the Beauharnois and Cedars Rapids dams - just downstream from Cornwall. The remaining 5% comes from our own combined natural gas fired heat and power co-generation plant (CDH District Heating) on Adolphus Street in Cornwall. Waste energy from this plant is harnessed to heat water which is piped into the community to heat two hospitals, six schools, two seniors' residences and other municipal buildings.
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