Summer heat prompts first activation of OPA’s peaksaver plan

With peaksaver, participating homeowners and small businesses volunteer to have a device installed to allow a wireless signal to temporarily cycle air conditioning on and off with minimal impact on comfort levels. Participants receive $25 to have the device installed and the overall system saves money as a result. The program is offered by 47 local electricity distribution companies (LDCs) across the province. More than 80,000 homes and businesses have signed up so far.

“We are committed to ensuring that Ontario has the power it needs during times of peak electricity demand,” said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. “That’s why more than 3,700 megawatts of clean, new supply has come on line since 2003, and it is why conservation and demand management are central to this government’s energy plan.

It’s estimated that the program, designed and administered by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) and co-ordinated by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), saved in excess of 40 megawatts during a day in which temperatures reached as high as 32 degrees and the humidex went as high as 38 in some parts of the province.

The 40 MW of peak reduction is equivalent to the peak electricity requirements of about 10,000 homes. Peaksaver will be activated throughout the summer as needed to mitigate peak demand.

Residents who participated in targeted activations of peaksaver last summer reported that they hardly noticed when a cycle-down had taken place. During the four-hour period when an activation has occurred there is only a very small rise in temperature because air conditioners are only turned down, not off entirely. Over the course of a summer, it’s anticipated that peaksaver will be activated about 10 times.