What's new newsletter

The OEB has released a consultant report that examines electricity delivery rates for commercial EV charging and explores alternative rate design options that could support the efficient integration of EVs in Ontario. Stakeholders interested in participating and providing feedback on this report are invited to a meeting on May 24, 2023.

On May 1, 2023, summer Time-of-Use (TOU) hours and the change in the Tiered threshold for residential customers under the OEB’s Regulated Price Plan will take effect and remain in place until October 31, 2023. Electricity prices for both remain unchanged. Also beginning May 1, 2023, electricity utilities that are ready to do so can offer residential and small business customers, the new Ultra-Low Overnight (ULO) price plan. ULO has four price periods, one of which is a very low-priced overnight period. By November 1, 2023, all utilities must offer ULO to their customers.

The OEB has released an Addendum to the Regulated Price Plan Price Report (November 1, 2022 to October 31, 2023).

The OEB has posted the updated electricity supply mix data information for 2022. As per Ontario Regulation 416/99 made under the OEB Act, and the OEB’s Directive, this information is required to be disclosed to Ontario consumers.

The OEB has issued the Innovation Handbook, a single, easy-to-access compendium of OEB policies and related materials that support energy sector innovation. The Handbook is intended to serve as a reference guide for sector innovators, provide awareness of the OEB’s work to date to support innovation and assist utilities in preparing applications that propose innovative approaches to meeting customer or system needs.

The OEB has released an update to its Environmental Guidelines. The Environmental Guidelines provide guidance to project proponents on how to prepare the Environmental Report that is required by the OEB as part of Hydrocarbon Project applications. The Environmental Guidelines defines the “environment” as encompassing a broad range of environmental and socio-economic elements. The types of Hydrocarbon Projects that require approval of the OEB include certain hydrocarbon pipeline and natural gas storage projects.

The OEB has issued Filing Guidelines for Incentives for Electricity Distributors to Use Third-Party DERs as Non-Wires Alternatives, which identifies the information distributors should include in their applications for incentive mechanisms. This new filing guidance is intended to encourage the use of third-party Distributed Energy Resources as non-wires alternatives, assist distributors in developing their incentive proposals and facilitate effective and timely regulatory review.

The Market Surveillance Panel has submitted to the OEB its Monitoring Report on Ontario's wholesale electricity market.

The OEB has issued a Notice of Proposal to amend the Transmission System Code and the Distribution System Code to ensure the most cost-effective investments are made to replace major transmission voltage assets when they reach end of life and need to be replaced, as part of the regional planning process.

The OEB has posted amendments to Rule 22 of the Rules of Practice and Procedure and the Practice Direction on Cost Awards, as well as new forms for interventions and a related Intervention Process Guidance Document.