Recommendation for proposed amendments to the Distribution Code System

Cost of meters charged by local distribution companies
The cost of installing a meter should be standardized among all LDCs as currently there is a huge discrepancy between what one LDC charges and others charge. For instance, Toronto Hydro doesn’t charge anything, while Hydro One was charging between $800 and $1,200 to deliver and install a meter in the Kingston area last year.

Cost of LDC accounts
The cost of LDC accounts should be standardized. Even if the cost is less than a residential account, the charge may be too high as some rural accounts are quite high. It is recommended that a standard service fee to cover administrative costs should be established by the OEB.

Cost recovery mechanisms
Whereas the GEGEA introduces a mechanism by which costs approved by the board incurred by a distributor to make an “eligible investment” for the purpose of connecting or enabling the connection of a “qualifying generation facility” to its distribution system may be recovered with contributions payable by all consumers throughout the province, OSEA recommends that in recognition of the benefits of new local generation to the larger system, LDCs should have the ability to choose what percentage of the cost of upgrading the system the local rate base should cover and what percentage should be covered by the universal adjustment when applying for rate relief.