Yet another Hydro On rate hike

The legacy of McGuinty lives on

In April, the OEB announced that electricity rates would jump about $3.63 on the electricity line, or about 2.9% on the total monthly bill as of May 1.

The latest hydro hike comes just over a week after Ontario auditor general Bonnie Lysyk released her report that pegged cancellation costs related to the Oakville power plant at up to $815 million -- most of it to be repaid over the next two decades on hydro bills.

For consumers on time-of-use pricing -- and that includes most households in the province -- the price of electricity during winter peak hours of 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays will rise 0.5 cents to 12.9 cents/kWh. [Up from 9.2 cents in 2011]

During the daytime weekday hours of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the mid-peak rate will hit 10.9 

cents/kWh. [Up from 9.2 cents in 2011]

The cheapest time to use electricity-gobbling appliances will remain weekends and overnight, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., at 7.2 cents/kWh. [Up from 6.1 cents in 2011]

This is up from previous years as follows:

Ontarians on Time-of-Use Pricing (TOU) will see their lowest rate for electricity — overnight and on weekends and holidays — rise to 6.5 cents per kWh from 6.1 cents per kWh.

On a weekday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., prices increase to 10 cents kWh from 9.2 cents kWh.

Firing up the electrical appliances during peak times, which will be between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays for the rest of the spring and summer, will set consumers back 11.7 cents kWh, up from 10.8 cents kWh.

Those increasingly rare hydro customers not on Smart Meter billing will pay 7.5 cents kWh, an increase of 0.4 cents kWh, on the first 600 kWh per month.

Any use over that threshold, which drops from 1,000 kWh in winter months, will be billed at the new higher price of 8.8 cents kWh, up 0.5 cents kWh.