Category: News Alerts

On October 28, 2019 from 7:30pm to 8:30pm Oshawa Power hosted a Virtual Telephone Town Hall. Oshawa Power dialed out to all residential customers. The town hall gave Oshawa Power the opportunity to engage with their customers on issues important to them concerning their 5 year investment plan. President and CEO Ivano Labricciosa, Vice President Finance and Regulatory Affairs Phil Martin and Vice President Engineering and Operations Matt Strecker were standing by ready to answer any of the customers’ questions.

Oshawa Power also hosted two Public Town Halls. The first was held on November 5 at the McLaughlin Library from 5:30pm to 7:30pm and the second was hosted at the Oshawa Seniors Community Centre – John Street Branch on November 6, 2019 from 11:00am to 12:00pm.

Oshawa Power wants to hear from you

Oshawa Power is trying to reach as many of their customers as possible to get their feedback and hear their questions and apply it to the planning of their investment plan.

“The 5 year investment plan we are creating is as much our customers’ plan as it is ours. At the end of the day we are here to serve our customer and we want to hear from them. We encourage all Oshawa ratepayers to come out to these town halls and learn about the plan and ask questions,” says Ivano.

Where will Oshawa Power be next?

If you have missed the previous events Oshawa Power has two more scheduled.

 

  • Oshawa Seniors Community Centres – Conant Branch – November 29, 2019, 10:00am-11:00am
  • Oshawa Seniors Community Centres – Delpark Branch – December 4, 2019, 9:00am-10:00am

 

Take a Survey Help a Charity

Oshawa Power also has an online survey available until November 30, 2019 for you to submit your input. Completing the survey will also give you the chance to either win one of five $200 gift cards or you can choose to have Oshawa Power donate to one of three local charities. A great opportunity to give back to the community.

Cost of Service Info

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 12, 2019

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO YIELD SIGNIFICANT GHG REDUCTIONS FROM ORGANIC WASTE DIVERSION IN GTA EAST

TORONTO, Ontario – Senior officials are gathering to celebrate a newly inked strategic partnership that will make significant Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reductions a reality at the Toronto Zoo. ZooShare, a renewable energy cooperative with over 600 members and Oshawa PUC Energy Services (OPUCES), a municipally-owned sustainable energy corporation have joined forces to complete the final milestone of the Toronto Zoo Biogas Project. This unique collaboration also includes the federal government’s Low Carbon Economy Fund, which will contribute $2.7 million over this phase and a planned expansion of the facility.

The contributions of ZooShare, OPUCES, the Toronto Zoo and the federal government will yield GHG reductions of about 20,000 tonnes of CO2e/ year and offset the equivalent of 1/3 of the Zoo’s electricity demand. “This first-of-its-kind project is symbolic of Canada’s newly emerging green economy, where structurally different organizations interplay in unique ways to generate sustainable bottom lines for all involved” says Ivano Labricciosa, President and CEO at OPUCES. “Our team is proud to bring our expertise in low carbon, distributed energy forward to enable this remarkable initiative”.

This project also shows what is possible when waste is reframed as a valuable resource containing energy and nutrients that can be used to grow more food and continue the cycle. It is a prime example of the circular economy in action. “ZooShare is extremely pleased to have OPUCES as a partner,” says Daniel Bida, Executive Director of ZooShare. “This investment will enable the project to reach commercial operations next year and OPUCES’ expertise will enable it to outperform expectations in the years to come.”

“The Toronto Zoo is committed to energy efficient operations, environmental sustainability, and renewable energy initiatives. From our perspective, the biogas facility is a fine example of community partnerships in action to develop renewable energy,” says Dolf DeJong, Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Zoo. “We are excited that ZooShare has secured a strong project and operational partner in Oshawa PUC Energy Services, effectively making the ZooShare vision a reality.”

OPUCES_Zooshare_Toronto Zoo_Press Release 

OPUCES Zooshare Media Advisory and Backgrounder

OPUCES_Zooshare_Toronto Zoo_Media Event Agenda

About ZooShare

ZooShare Biogas Co-operative Inc. is a non-profit renewable energy co-operative with 692 members across Ontario. Its mandate is to partner to develop an innovative zoo-based biogas plant that transforms zoo manure and local food waste into renewable power for the Ontario grid, and a nutrient-rich agricultural fertilizer.

About Oshawa PUC Energy Services

Oshawa PUC Energy Services Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oshawa Power and Utilities Corporation. OPUCES partners with proven solution providers to deliver tailored energy solutions and meet the needs of each individual customer, including low carbon distributed generation technologies such as CHP, wind, solar, and biogas. Oshawa PUC Energy Services’ portfolio is expected to have more than 30 projects in operation across the GTHA by the end of 2020.

About the Toronto Zoo

The Toronto Zoo is Canada’s premier zoo and a national leader in saving wildlife to ensure the rich diversity of nature for future generations. More than a tourist attraction, the Toronto Zoo boasts a number of leading programs for helping wildlife and their natural habitats – from species reintroduction to reproductive research. A world-class educational centre for people of all ages, the Toronto Zoo is open every day except December 25 and attracts approximately 1.3 million visitors each year. Toronto Zoo is accredited by CAZA (Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums) and AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums). Look for these logos whenever you visit a Canadian zoo as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. For more information, visit caza.ca and aza.org.

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Contacts

Daniel Bida
Executive Director
240-401 Richmond St. W., Toronto, ON, M5V 2A8
647-704-6078
daniel@zooshare.ca

Janet Taylor
Manager, Sustainability and Business Advocacy
100 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa, ON L1H 7M7
905-723-4626 ext 5249
JTaylor@opuc.on.ca

Katie Gray
Strategic Communications Manager
361A Old Finch Avenue, Scarborough, ON M1B 5K7
416-392-5941
kgray@torontozoo.ca

For Immediate Release

October 8, 2019

Oshawa, ON – Oshawa Power is currently creating their five-year infrastructure investment plan and are seeking direct customer input. The plan will determine where investments needs to be made to provide a reliable, safe, progressive and modern distribution system.

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) requires electricity distributors to include customer feedback outlining their expectations and opinions on investments and development plans in infrastructure and services.

Oshawa Power has created an online survey designed to help understand their customer’s priorities as they relate to subjects such as: safety, reliability, equipment replacement, facilities, infrastructure maintenance, upgrades, etc. Results from the survey will help create a Distribution System Plan for 2020-2025 based on their customers’ needs, while maintaining the quality of service and reliability Oshawa residents have come to expect.

As part of their customer engagement plan, Oshawa Power has several customer outreach events planned:

  • Oshawa Power will host a telephone town hall with residential customers on October 28, 2019
  • A public town hall meeting will take place on November 5, 2019 at the McLaughlin Library
  • A visit to the Oshawa Seniors Community Centres – John St. branch on November 6, 2019
    Oshawa Power will be hosting information booths at various library locations throughout November

“It’s important to involve our customers in the planning process so we know that our priorities and our customers’ priorities are aligned. We want our customers to have a say in how money is spent and to learn about our planning process. Ultimately, we are here to serve our customer and provide a safe and reliable electricity supply.” says Ivano Labricciosa, President and CEO, Oshawa Power.

For those who complete the survey, Oshawa Power is expressing their gratitude by offering the opportunity to win one of five (5) $200 prepaid credit cards, or you can help support your community by choosing to have Oshawa Power donate $5 to a local charity.

“We appreciate that everyone has busy lives and wanted to say thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. We decided to do something a little different by offering customers the opportunity to have a donation sent to one of the three local charities that serve our community. We need to support the community that supports us”, continues Labricciosa.

The three charities Oshawa Power has chosen to support are:

  • Durham Outlook for the Needy – a volunteer run organization consisting of a soup kitchen (St. Vincent’s Kitchen) and food bank
  • Simcoe Hall Settlement House – started in 1935 dedicated to aiding and improving the lives of less advantaged children, families and vulnerable adults
  • YWCA Durham – provided emergency shelter and longer term housing, counselling and resources for women and children experiencing domestic violence for over 70 years

“YWCA Durham must fundraise to offer the many programs we do, from emergency shelter to housing to counselling, and so we are very grateful to Oshawa Power for the chance to spread the word about what we do and receive valuable funds that will be put to good use in this community”, says Debra Mattson, Communications and Fund Development Manager, YWCA Durham.

Oshawa Power invites all residents and businesses to participate in the survey and public events. The survey will be open from October 1, 2019 through November 30, 2019 and can be accessed on their website www.oshawapower.ca.

For more information please reach out to Sheila Risorto, Marketing and Communications Analyst, Oshawa Power at communications@opuc.on.ca.

Oshawa Power is Seeking Customer Input on their 2020-2025 Investment Plan PDF

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Media Contact:
Sheila Risorto
Marketing and Communications Analyst
Oshawa Power
srisorto@opuc.on.ca
905-723-4626 ext 5243
905-439-1930

For Immediate Release

October 2, 2019

Oshawa, ON – On the heels of winning the Electrical Safety Authority’s (ESA) Worker Safety Award last week Oshawa Power was presented the Recognition of Performance Achievement milestone award from Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) for achieving over 500,000 no lost time hours.

Described on the IHSA website this award program recognizes IHSA member firms that have achieved a specific number of work hours (based on their firm size) without a lost-time injury (LTI). In addition, Oshawa Power has achieved and maintained their Certificate of Recognition (COR™) status with IHSA for 5 years running. COR™ is a national standard for recognizing a well-functioning health and safety management system.

“At Oshawa Power we have a very strong safety culture. We continuously go above and beyond industry standards and pride ourselves on being leaders. There is nothing more important than ensuring our crews get home to their families safely every day. We work safe to keep our community safe.” says Ivano Labricciosa, President and CEO, Oshawa Power.

Oshawa Power will be at community events to help educate the public about powerline safety. Their next public safety awareness event is November 21, 2019 -their annual Contractor Safety Day. If you are a contractor and would like to participate in this event please email communications@opuc.on.ca .

About Oshawa Power
Oshawa Power provides safe, reliable and efficient electricity distribution services to over 59,000 customers in the City of Oshawa. For more information visit www.oshawapower.ca

Media Contact

Sheila Risorto
Marketing and Communications Analyst
srisorto@opuc.on.ca
905-723-4626 ext 5243
905-439-1930

For Immediate Release

September 27, 2019

Oshawa, ON – Yesterday, the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) held its Annual Meeting and Ontario Electrical Safety Awards celebrating achievements in electrical safety. Awards were presented in the categories of Worker Safety, Consumer and Home Safety and Powerline Safety. Award recipients illustrated that electrical safety is a shared responsibility, touching all individuals and organizations across the province.

“At ESA we recognize the role continued education plays in increasing awareness and prevention of electrical safety hazards,” says Dr. Joel Moody, Chief Public Safety Officer, ESA. “The safety leaders we honoured today have demonstrated that training can have far-reaching effects on the public at large for many generations to come. We share their remarkable accomplishments with the hope that others will strive to make their own contribution to making a safer Ontario.”

Oshawa Power was proud to accept the 2019 Worker Safety Award. Oshawa Power’s commitment to safety is demonstrated through efforts brought not only to their staff internally, but contractors outside of Oshawa Power.

Oshawa Power offers continuous safety training and resources to our staff, resulting in a safety record that boasts over 500, 000 hours with no lost time injuries. In addition to a Joint Health and Safety Committee, there is an executive sponsored Ergonomic Change Team and a Wellness Committee in place.

Oshawa Power reaches beyond their own employee group to ensure public safety.   Contractors performing work for or with Oshawa Power must attend a Health and Safety orientation before they can begin work, ensuring our contractors are working to our high safety standards.

Oshawa Power also reaches out to the contractor community through their Contractor Safety Day. Contractor Safety Day brings together local contractors and businesses for a half day to review the dangers of working around powerlines and when to engage the utility for assistance when completing their work.

“Worker safety is paramount in every task we do because of the level of danger our team is exposed to everyday. We go above and beyond the standards for our staff to ensure the public is safe and our crews go home safely everyday to their families. I am extremely proud of our team for fostering a safety culture that is second to none.” says Ivano Labricciosa, CEO Oshawa Power.

Look for Oshawa Power at community events helping to educate the public about powerline safety. Their next public safety awareness event is November 21, 2019 for their annual Contractor Safety Day. If you would like to participate in this event please email communications@opuc.on.ca .

ESA Award A
ESA-Award B

Oshawa Power wins ESA Worker Safety Award

 

About Oshawa Power

Oshawa Power provides safe, reliable and efficient electricity distribution services to over 59,000 customers in the City of Oshawa. For more information visit www.oshawapower.ca

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Media Contact
Sheila Risorto
Marketing and Communications Analyst
srisorto@opuc.on.ca
905-723-4626 ext 5243
905-439-1930

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 5, 2019

OSHAWA POWER AT AUTOFEST FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE EDUCATION

OSHAWA, ONTARIO– In August 2018, Oshawa Power introduced their E-Mission Project to the residents of Oshawa at Autofest. This Electric Vehicle (EV) Strategy is aimed at preparing our infrastructure, community, and customers for the electrification of transport.

As a kick off to the E-Mission strategy in 2018, Oshawa Power gathered and analyzed local EV usage and adoption data. Residents of Oshawa who owned an EV were encouraged to share their data and given a $25 credit on their Utility bill, (the average cost of charging an EV for one month), for participating in an online survey. 100% of EV owners surveyed by Oshawa Power reported that they would buy an EV again for their next vehicle purchase.

After 2 years at Autofest, Oshawa Power has been able to personally engage our community and gain valuable information for use in the planning of public charging and infrastructure planning.

By partnering with the EV Society, Oshawa Power was able to give residents an up-close look at several different makes and models of modern EVs. eCAMION Inc. provided an example of a charger by loaning us their newest “Jule” fast charging station for display. Volunteers from Oshawa Power and the EV Society were on hand to answer any questions about EV ownership and any potential impact to our power grid.

Oshawa Power volunteer, Lori Dafoe said, “Autofest has been a great venue for Oshawa Power to meet with car enthusiasts and educate them about electric vehicles. Many people are very surprised at the variety of EVs available in today’s market, everything from a small compact to a large SUV.”
Ministry of Transportation data indicates that electric vehicle purchases in Oshawa are growing substantially – almost tripling in the pasts 18 months!
To learn more about EVs, or to fill out the Oshawa Power survey visit: www.oshawapower.ca/e-mission today.

Autofest Press Release

August 16, 2019 – The employees at Oshawa Power believe in giving back to the community where they live and work. For the second year in a row, employees got together to have a BBQ lunch as a fundraiser for Simcoe Hall Settlements House’s 2019 Backpack Program. Employees then brought in a backpack or cash to pay for their lunch.

Employees say, “It is a great cause right here in our community and that’s important to us. Simcoe Hall Settlement House does a great job organizing this, and we want to help them make sure that all children have the tools they need to learn”.

President and CEO, Ivano Labricciosa said, “The staff of eighty employees donated the food, volunteered their lunch hour to cook and serve their fellow employees and when it was all done, they collected 67 backpacks, several lunch bags, and $276.80 in cash to donate to the cause. I am extremely proud of the staff here at Oshawa Power, who willingly give back to the community by volunteering their time and/or making donations to help others. When called upon to help, employee response is always tremendous, and truly from the heart – they are an asset to the community”.

Community

It has been reported that Toronto Hydro customers have been receiving text messages from an entity posing as Toronto Hydro asking them to accept an e-transfer.

Please be aware that these are not genuine and if you receive a text like this, report to Canadian Anti-fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 (quote file #844396) & to Toronto Hydro using their online form:

Currently, we have had no reports of this happening to Oshawa customers.

Notice To all Customers:

As part of our commitment to provide the highest quality customer service we are upgrading our customer information systems beginning Friday June 28, 2019 at 4pm. The new system will improve our service and system reliability to you.

The upgrade will impact the availability of some of our self service functions in eCare, and our IVR system. Services not available during this migration are:
• Access to your online account
• Automated balance and payment history inquires through our phone system
• Time of Use Graphs will not populate

Upgrade Time Frame

Start: Friday June 28, 2019 at 4pm EST
Finish: Tuesday July 2, 2019 at 8:30am EST

We appreciate your patience during our technology upgrade and we look forward to continuing to service you in the future.

If you need to make a credit card please visit this website.

Have a safe and enjoyable long weekend. Happy Canada Day!

June 24, 2019 – OSHAWA – Oshawa Power held their annual general meeting on June 13, 2019. In attendance were Oshawa Power staff, board members, Oshawa city and regional Councillors, City of Oshawa staff, and Mayor Dan Carter.

“We are Oshawa Power” was the ongoing theme throughout the 2018 summary. Oshawa Power proudly displayed their accomplishments in the community, innovation, reliability, customer service and growth areas.

“Every day, Oshawa Power goes the extra mile to safely and reliably deliver electricity and energy-related services; provide the lowest residential distribution rates for power in Durham Region; grow the value of our company; and maintain a steady stream of revenue that our shareholder, the City of  Oshawa (the City), uses in delivering the services and infrastructure that make Oshawa a vibrant community.” Quoted from the annual report.

Oshawa Power declared an annual dividend payment for the City of Oshawa of $2.5 million, an increase from 2017’s $2.3 million.  An outstanding accomplishment considering recent government and regulatory changes. Oshawa Power is committed to maintaining its excellence customer service, exceptional value, and to continue being a truly great company.

Oshawa Power invites you to read their 2018 annual report and AGM Presentation 2019.

If you have any inquiries please reach out to Sheila Risorto 905-723-4626 extension 5243 or srisorto@opuc.on.ca.