Category: News Alerts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

International Close-Out of Solar Energy Management System Pilot

Oshawa, ON, February 12, 2019 – Oshawa Power announces the wrap-up of the international partnership component for their Solar Energy Management System (SEMS) pilot. The utility will provide high-level results during the regularly-scheduled City Council meeting at 6:30 pm, February 19th, City Council Chambers, 50 Centre Street South, Oshawa. Members of the public and press are invited to attend.

The pilot consisted of a unique partnership between the City of Oshawa, Oshawa Power, Tabuchi Electric and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), a Japanese governmental organization that promotes research in the renewable energy field. The $1.2 million initiative involved the participation of 30 homes in Oshawa utilizing solar energy, an advanced smart inverter and a lithium-ion battery to simultaneously produce, store, and manage energy from their own home.

The pilot demonstrated and quantified beneficial climate change adaptation strategies as well as benefits to both the consumer and the utility such as virtual power plant functions. As a result of this effort, SEMS are proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and aid their users in climate change adaptation. The project was successful in providing its users with a source of energy during power outages, along with electricity bill savings of over 50%.

Oshawa Power extends gratitude to NEDO, Tabuchi Electric and the City of Oshawa for enabling this leading project. Prior to kick-off, a project of this scale, with these aims had not yet taken place in North America.

Team members will attend the closing results forum next Tuesday to perform a final review of the project. Detailed results from the pilot will be posted on Oshawa Power’s website at a future date.

For questions, email cdm@opuc.on.ca

About Oshawa Power: Oshawa Power provides safe, reliable and efficient electricity distribution services to over 58,000 customers in the City of Oshawa. For more information visit https://www.oshawapower.ca/

OSHAWA POWER

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

OSHAWA– Weather reports are predicting 15 to 25 cm of snow, ice pellets, possible freezing rain and strong winds of 70 -80 km/h to hit Oshawa today. Oshawa Power is following the storm conditions and watching for impacts on the electricity grid.  Snow and ice build-up on poles and wires and strong winds can cause outages. We have crews prepared to handle any service disruptions in a safe and efficient manner.

Please be cautious if you see a fallen tree limb or fallen powerlines. Downed powerlines may be energized and are dangerous. If powerlines are down, stay at least 10 metres away (the length of a school bus), and call 911 immediately.

If you identify a potential tree hazard that needs to be addressed please contact us using our message form, https://www.oshawapower.ca/contact-us/ and provide us the details. We will send a crew out to address the issue.

If you experience an outage, follow our updates on Twitter and Facebook, or check our outage map opuc.on.ca/outages. If you need to report an outage you can call 905-723-4623.

Oshawa Power encourages customers to be prepared for power outages before the power goes out. Local emergency responders recommend that residents prepare and plan to be self-sufficient for 72 hours in an emergency situation.

  • Please make sure that you have flashlights and batteries available.
  • Do not use charcoal or a gas barbecue, camping heating equipment or portage generators indoors as they produce deadly carbon monoxide gas.
  • Before you leave home, please do walkthrough of your home just as you would when going on vacation and make sure all appliances are turned off such as stoves, ovens, coffeemakers, etc.

Click here for more tips and visit the City of Oshawa’s website for city updates. Stay safe and informed.

About Oshawa Power: Oshawa Power provides safe, reliable and efficient electricity distribution services to over 58,000 customers in the City of Oshawa. For more information visit https://www.oshawapower.ca/

On November 27, 2018 Oshawa Power hosted its first Contractor Safety Day. The workshop hosted guest speakers from the Ministry of Labour (MOL), Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) and CHS Health & Safety Solutions Inc. Our speakers focussed on powerline safety, public and worker safety, and accident prevention. An alarming fact is that the province of Ontario suffered 5 electrical-related fatalities in 20171, all of which were preventable.

“Our message today is that we are here to support contractors who are conducting work in our service territory. We will assist them in their efforts to ensure the safest work environment possible when working around or near electrical infrastructure. Through education and communication we can maintain Oshawa’s stellar safety record. Prevention is key,” said Sarah Del Gatto, Health and Safety Manager, Oshawa Power.

The event was well attended by local contractors, safety professionals, and service providers. Oshawa Power in partnership with industry speakers and attendees took the first step in establishing industry relationships that strengthen our region’s resolve in achieving zero workplace incidents.  . Electrical safety is everyone’s responsibility.

“It was encouraging to see the level of interest and engagement among all attendees who are striving to improve safety through enhanced cooperation and communication. Safety is a culture that needs to be fostered and supported through industry leadership; Oshawa Power is here to do that for anyone working in our region. Our goal is to protect workers and the general public. Safety is paramount,” commented Matt Strecker, Vice President, Engineering and Operations.

Contractors who are performing any type of work around or near the electrical distribution system in Oshawa can call Oshawa Power for a safety consultation free of charge. Oshawa Power will help identify potential hazards, provide recommendations regarding safe work practices, and if necessary, provide a quote for any work that the utility may be required to do, in order to achieve safe working conditions, if the cost or scope required  exceeds  basic allowances outlined in the Conditions of Service.

Contractors also have access to a new website feature called Contractor’s Corner. Contractor’s Corner can be found on Oshawa Power’s homepage and provides easy access to service application forms, service upgrade forms, guidelines, requirements and any additional information relevant to contractors.

Attendees who participated in Contractor Safety Day include:

  • ABB
  • Black and Macdonald
  • Brass Inc.
  • Burman Energy
  • CFI Electric Ltd
  • Chin Fatt Ltd
  • Cliff Bruton Safety Consulting Inc
  • Electrical Safety Authority (ESA)
  • Enbridge Gas
  • Guillevin
  • Hayatt Electric Contracting
  • Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA)
  • Lamplighter Electric
  • Lit Electrical Contractors Inc.
  • Ministry of Labour (MOL)
  • Monteiro Electric
  • Ontario One Call
  • Professional Personnel & Skilled Trades
  • Superior Solutions Contracting
  • Tharanee Electrical Services
  • Townsend Electric
  • Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)
  • Westmore Poleline & Electric Inc.

 

 

1 Source: ESA and Coroner Records

September 10, 2018 – Oshawa residents will find out as early this week whether they’ll face a possible strike later September by mail carriers and plant workers at Canada Post.

A strike mandate vote was completed by Canada Post employees Sunday September 9, 2018.  If they voted in favour Canada Post can face either a strike or lockout by September 26, 2018.

Oshawa Power would like to encourage our customers who are not already set up with online access to their electricity accounts to call us at 905-723-4623 or emailing us here to set up access. Customers are still required to pay their bills by the due date.

As an alternative to just having online access, customers can also set up their electricity accounts on eBilling so their monthly bill will be emailed to them directly and alert them when a billed has been generated. Click here to learn more https://www.oshawapower.ca/ebilling/.

eBilling allows immediate access to your account information, energy consumption tracking, download copies of your bill including the amount due and due date, helping you avoid any late penalty charges.

eBilling-capture

Bill payments can be made by pre-authorized payment, telephone or electronic payment services offered through your financial institution, or by the drop box located on the outside north corner of our office building located at 100 Simcoe Street, South, Oshawa.

Oshawa Power is monitoring this situation closely and will work to reduce any inconvenience for our customers.

We are proud to announce that Oshawa Power is the winner of EDA’s 2017 Environmental Excellence Award for our work in the Solar Energy Management Systems Pilot Project.  The SEMS pilot project has been extremely successful and is bringing our industry invaluable information that will help shape energy solutions for the future.  As we enter into the next phase of this pilot it is an honour to have the hard work and dedication to bringing our customers innovative solutions be recognized by our industry.

Please be aware that for the next six weeks, Oshawa Power is undertaking a Public Awareness of Electrical Safety Survey as part of our electricity distributor scorecards. The survey will take approximately five minutes to complete and will cover safety topics related to power lines, green transformer boxes and more.  To establish the required sample of participants basic demographic information will be requested however please take note that we will not be asking for any identifying information such as hydro account number, home address, and credit card or banking information.

Utility Pulse, on behalf of Oshawa Power, will be carrying out the survey via telephone. If you receive a call, please consider participating. Your responses will help us better target our public safety communications to Oshawa residents.

Results from the survey will be included in Oshawa Power’s annual scorecard, set to be released this fall.  Should you have any questions please contact our office by phone at 905-723-4623 or by email at  contact us and we will be happy to help you.  For further information on the Public Awareness of Electrical Safety Survey, please visit the Ontario Energy Board.

To see Oshawa Power’s past scorecards visit Oshawa Power’s Regulatory Affairs page and for more information on Electricity Distributor Scorecards, visit the Ontario Energy Board.

Service Restored Notice

Please be advised that all IT systems are again running and operations are back to normal.  Telephone and email communications are fully functional.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and thank you for your patience during this interruption.

Oshawa Power

Please be advised that we are experiencing temporary IT network connectivity issues.  As a result, full functionality of our telephone system, email system, and internet access have been impaired.  We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your patience as our team works to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.  Restoration is expected this afternoon.

Oshawa Area Telephone Soliciting

Oshawa Power has received reports in our Customer Service department that some local customers have received fraudulent phone calls claiming to be calling from Oshawa Power.  These phone calls are recorded messages claiming there is a power surge in their neighbourhood and as a result they must come visit the home.  Oshawa Power can confirm that we are not executing any outbound phone calls to our customers at this time and this third party is misrepresenting themselves.  If you have any question please do not hesitate to contact us at 905-723-4623 or contact us .

Oshawa Power is once again proud to be sponsoring the City of Oshawa’s annual Oshawa Celebrates celebration to ring in the new year!  Read the City of Oshawa’s post below for more information.

Celebrate the arrival of 2018 at Oshawa Celebrates event

Posted on Monday December 11, 2017

Holiday Lights

The City of Oshawa invites residents to ring in the New Year at the Oshawa Celebrates 2018 event on Sunday, December 31. This fun, free, family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration takes place from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Legends Centre (1661 Harmony Road North, just north of Taunton Road).

Oshawa Celebrates 2018, sponsored by the Oshawa PUC Networks, will feature an action packed evening of free activities, including jumping castles, crafts, Zoo to You, Jungle Cat World, live entertainment and more. Complimentary hot chocolate will be available while supplies last.

A variety of free leisure swimming and skating options will also be available. Wristbands will be required to participate in the leisure swims and skates, and will be available when the doors open at 5:45 p.m. and handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. The evening will wrap up with a family countdown to the New Year beginning at 9:00 p.m.

“Looking for a great way to welcome in 2018, then why not join us at Oshawa’s Legends Centre,” said Councillor Bob Chapman, Chair of the Community Services Committee. “It will be an amazing party with lots to do for the whole family and still leave plenty of time for Mom & Dad to get home and relax before midnight.”

For more information about Oshawa Celebrates 2018, visit www.oshawa.ca/events or call 905-436-3311.

Event parking will be available at the Legends Centre and at the adjacent Maxwell Heights Secondary School. Durham Region Transit (DRT) bus service is available to the Legends Centre. For further DRT information, visit www.durhamregiontransit.com.