Forms and templates: third-party net metering and energy contracts

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Net Metering

With net metering, a consumer can generate renewable electricity for their own use while sending excess power to the grid for a credit. On July 1, 2022, changes to regulations came into effect that enable third-party ownership of net metered energy generation facilities and retailing to consumers under these net metering arrangements. 

The OEB has adapted its electricity retailer forms (see Energy Supply Contracts below) to suit the net metering activities contemplated by the regulatory changes, including:

  • Standard terms and conditions that must be included in an electricity retailer’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). These conditions require, among other things, information about the equipment agreement for the renewable energy system that will be used for net metering purposes that is associated with the PPA (referred to as an Associated Equipment Agreement).
  • The Disclosure Statements and Price Comparisons that must accompany a PPA:
    • The Disclosure Statements to be used must be as approved by the OEB. Among other things, this means all of the Disclosure Statements must be: (a) in colour; and (b) in the form published by the OEB (including page size). Retailers are not permitted to alter or redact the Disclosure Statements in any way except as permitted by the Disclosure Statements. Retailers may enter a document control number in the field that appears on the form. The document control number must be in a font size no larger than Arial 8, and may be numeric, alphabetic or alpha-numeric but may not include the retailer’s or marketer’s name or a date.
    • The Price Comparison templates to be used must be as approved by the OEB. Among other things, this means: (a) all Price Comparisons provided to low-volume consumers must be in colour and in tabloid-sized format and (b) only the versions of the Price Comparison templates that have been fully pre-populated by the OEB may be used. Retailers are not permitted to alter or redact any portion of the template that has been pre-populated by the OEB. Tables C and D of the Price Comparison template must be completed by the retailer in accordance with the instructions contained in the applicable OEB-approved price comparison instructions document. Retailers may enter a document control number in the field that appears on the form. The document control number must be in a font size no larger than Arial 8, and may be numeric, alphabetic or alpha-numeric but may not include the retailer’s name or a date.

The OEB’s Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct sets out rules relating to the PPA, Disclosure Statements, Price Comparisons and other materials to be used by electricity retailers in the net metering context.

In addition, the OEB has approved a form for the disclosure that is required by O. Reg. 541/05 (Net Metering). This disclosure is required to be given to the electricity distributor in the case of a third-party net metering arrangement that does not also involve the purchase of electricity from a retailer (i.e., does not involve a PPA). The purpose of this form is to confirm that the consumer has been provided certain information about the equipment agreement for the renewable energy system that will be used for net metering purposes.

Downloads

The following OEB-approved Disclosure Statements and Price Comparison templates can be downloaded and printed. For details on how to download the documents and how to complete the Price Comparison templates, see the Downloading and Printing Instructions.

Downloading and Printing Instructions

The Disclosure Statements and Price Comparison templates are provided in PDF format.  

Disclosure Statements and Price Comparisons must, when used in hard copy, be presented in colour and in booklet format using tabloid-sized paper.

Disclosure Statements
Online Verification Forms
Price Comparison Templates

Documents valid from November 1, 2023:

Documents valid from May 1, 2023 to October 31, 2023:

Standard Terms and Conditions for Power Purchase Agreements
Tip Sheet
Net Metering Confirmation of Disclosure

 

 

Energy Supply Contracts

Under legal and regulatory requirements that came into force on January 1, 2011, new contracts and contract renewal forms must be accompanied by the applicable OEB-approved Disclosure Statement(s) and by the applicable Price Comparison(s), generated using the OEB-approved templates and with Part B completed by the electricity retailer or gas marketer in accordance with the OEB’s instructions.

The OEB-approved Disclosure Statements and the OEB-approved Price Comparison templates can be downloaded using the links below. Electricity retailers and gas marketers are reminded of the following:

  • The Disclosure Statements to be used must be as approved by the OEB. Among other things, this means all of the Disclosure Statements must be: (a) in colour; and (b) in the form published by the OEB (including page size). Electricity retailers and gas marketers are not permitted to alter or redact the Disclosure Statements in any way except as permitted by the Disclosure Statements. Retailers and marketers may enter a document control number in the form field that appears in the lower right corner of the front page. The document control number must be in a font size no larger than Arial 8, and may be numeric, alphabetic, or alpha-numeric but may not include the retailer’s or marketer’s name or a date.
  • The Price Comparison templates to be used must be as approved by the OEB. Among other things, this means: (a) all Price Comparisons provided to low-volume consumers must be in colour and in legal-sized format; and (b) only the versions of the Price Comparison templates that have been fully pre-populated by the OEB may be used. Electricity retailers and gas marketers are not permitted to alter or redact any portion of the template that has been pre-populated by the OEB. Part C of the Price Comparison Template for Electricity Contracts must be completed by the electricity retailer and Part B of the Price Comparison Template for Natural Gas Contracts must be completed by the gas marketer, in accordance with the instructions contained in the applicable OEB-approved template. Retailers and marketers may enter a document control number in the form field that appears in the lower right corner of the back page in the print version or the last page of the online version. The document control number must be in a font size no larger than Arial 8, and may be numeric, alphabetic, or alpha-numeric but may not include the retailer’s or marketer’s name or a date.
  • The restated Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers that came into force on January 1, 2011, set out rules pertaining to the provision of Disclosure Statements and Price Comparisons in a language other than English.

Downloads

The following OEB-approved Disclosure Statements and Price Comparison templates can be downloaded and printed. For details on how to download the documents and how to complete the Price Comparison templates, see the Downloading and Printing Instructions.

Downloading and Printing Instructions

The Disclosure Statements and Price Comparison templates are provided in PDF format.  

Disclosure Statements and Price Comparisons must, when used in hard copy, be presented in colour and in booklet format using legal-sized paper.

Disclosure Statements for Electricity Contracts
Disclosure Statements for Natural Gas Contracts
Disclosure Statements for Dual Fuel Contracts
Online Verification Forms
Price Comparison Templates for Electricity Contracts

Documents valid from November 1, 2023:

Documents valid from May 1, 2023 to October 31, 2023:

Price Comparison Templates for Natural Gas Contracts

Documents valid from January 1, 2024 - March 31, 2024 (except where noted):

Documents valid from October 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023 (except where noted):

Standard Contract Terms and Conditions
Tip Sheet

Effective date May 1, 2023

Verification and Renewal Scripts

 

Certificates of Compliance

Under legal and regulatory requirements that came into force on January 1, 2011, licensed electricity retailers and licensed gas marketers (“suppliers”) may not enter into, renew, amend or extend the term of a contract with a low-volume consumer until such time as the supplier has filed with the OEB a Certificate of Compliance in the required form and has received from the OEB written acknowledgement of it.

Certificates of Compliance

The form of Certificate of Compliance to be used for this purpose can be downloaded using the links below.  This form is substantively the same as that found in Appendix A to each of the restated Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct and the restated Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers. Suppliers are reminded that the Certificate of Compliance must be signed by a person that satisfies the requirements set out in section 6.3 of the applicable restated Code of Conduct.

Where the Certificate of Compliance filed by a supplier indicated “no” or “N/A” in relation to a given statement, the supplier shall not conduct the activity to which that statement relates unless the supplier has filed with the OEB a further Certificate of Compliance in the required form and has received from the OEB written acknowledgement of it. 

The form of Certificate of Compliance to be used for this purpose can be downloaded using the links below. This form is substantively the same as that found in Appendix B to each of the restated Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct and the restated Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers. Suppliers are reminded that the Certificate of Compliance must be signed be a person that satisfies the requirements set out in section 6.3 of the applicable restated Code of Conduct.

The Certificates of Compliance described above are those associated with the obligation set out in section 3 of Ontario Regulation 90/99 (Licence Requirements – Electricity Retailers and Gas Marketers) and in sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the applicable restated Code of Conduct. 

There is also a separate requirement that suppliers annually file with the OEB by April 30 a self-certification statement on compliance. Further information about these annual filings may be obtained from the Self-Certification Statement.

Downloads

The following OEB-approved form of Certificate of Compliance can be downloaded:

Instructions for completing and submitting certificate of compliance forms

The OEB-approved form of the Certificate of Compliance calls for the supplier to confirm a number of statements by checking “yes”, “no” or “N/A”, as applicable. 

An original, signed copy of the Certificate of Compliance must be filed by email to Registrar@oeb.ca. Please include “Certificate of Compliance; EB-2010-0405” in the subject line of the email.

 

Self-Certification Statements

Section 6.4 of the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers requires suppliers file with the OEB by April 30 each year a self-certification in the form and manner required by the OEB.

Self-Certification Statements

The form of Self-Certification Statement to be used for this purpose can be downloaded using the links below. This form is substantively the same as that found in Appendix A to each of the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers.   

The Self-Certification Statement must be signed by the supplier’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, President or other person of equivalent position.

The requirement for annual self-certification is different from the initial requirement to certify compliance. Any supplier that has not yet filed a Certificate of Compliance and received the OEB’s acknowledgement of it must do so separate and apart from the obligation to file an annual self-certification. Further information may be obtained from the Certificates of Compliance.

Downloads

The following OEB-approved form of annual Self-Certification Statement can be downloaded:

Instructions for completing and submitting self-certification statements

The OEB-approved form of Self-Certification Statement calls for the supplier to confirm a number of statements by checking “yes”, “no” or “N/A”, as applicable.  

The Self-Certification Statement must be signed by the supplier’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, President or other person of equivalent position.

Annual self-certification statements are due on April 30th of each year.

An original, signed copy of the Self-Certification Statement must be filed by email to Registrar@oeb.ca. Please include “Self-Certification Statement; EB-2012-0089” in the subject line of the email.