Kingston Hydro, or a competitive retailer that you have contracted with, is the seller of actual power.
The price for that power (i.e. the commodity price) may be fixed or floating.
In most cases, billing services are provided by Utilities Kingston, an affiliate of the municipally-owned Kingston Hydro.
However, if you have contracted with a retailer, your retailer may have us bill you on their behalf or they may bill you directly.
General Service Less than 50 kW rate classification
This classification primarily consists of small business customers. This classification refers to a non residential account taking electricity at 750 volts or less whose monthly average peak demand is less than, or is forecast to be less than, 50 kW. Further servicing details are available in Kingston Hydro’s Conditions of Service.
As a small business electricity consumer in Ontario classified as General Service Less than 50 kW, your electricity bill shows charges, per Ontario regulation, related to the following sub-heading lines:
- Electricity
- Delivery
- Regulatory Charges
- Debt Retirement Charge
The charges shown on your bill for each of the above lines make up the costs of delivering electricity to your business from generators as well as the cost to purchase that electricity for you. Also included on your electricity bill are the Harmonized Sales Tax and your credit for the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit.
If you are a small business customer signed with a Retailer (non-RPP General Service Less than 50 kW customer), then per Ontario regulation, additionally shown on electricity bill as a separate line item charge is your share of the cost for Global Adjustment.
Detailed Breakdown of General Service Less than 50 kW Electricity Rates & Prices
Electricity, Delivery, Regulatory, and Debt Retirement line costs on your bill are comprised of various rate components, details of which are provided below:
| Time of Use Schedule and Prices (pdf) |
Adjusted Usage (13) |
$/kWh |
Per TOU schedule |
| Commodity Charge at Retailer Rate (2), (3), (4) |
Adjusted Usage |
$/kWh |
per contract |
| Adjusted Usage |
$/kWh |
per IESO |
| Service Charge(5) |
Metered Usage (12) |
$ |
$25.17 |
| Rate Rider for Disposition of Residual Historical Smart Meter Costs (SMDR13) -
effective until December 31, 2013 (6) |
Metered Usage |
$ |
3.95 |
| Rate Rider for Recovery of Smart Meter Incremental Revenue Requirement (SMIRR13) - in effective until the effective date of the next cost of service-based rate order (6) |
Metered Usage |
$ |
3.65 |
| Distribution Volumetric Rate |
Metered Usage |
$/kWh |
0.0104 |
| Low Voltage Service Charge |
Metered Usage |
$/kWh |
0.0006 |
| Rate Rider - Deferral/Variance Account Disposition (2013) - effective until
April 30, 2014 (7) |
Metered Usage |
$/kWh |
-0.0010 |
| Rate Rider Global Adjustment Sub-Account Disposition (2013) - effective until April 30, 2014
(7) Applicable to Non-RPP customers Only |
Metered Usage |
$/kWh |
0.0076 |
| Rate Rider - Incremental Capital (2012) - effective until April 30, 2015
(8) |
Metered Usage |
$/kWh |
0.0005 |
| (b) Rate Rider for Smart Metering Entity Charge (pdf) - effective until October 31, 2018(4) |
Metered Usage |
$/kWh |
0.0079 |
| Transmission Network Service Rate(3),(4) |
Adjusted Usage |
$/kWh |
0.0058 |
| Transmission Line and Transformation Connection Service Rate(3),(4) |
Adjusted Usage |
$/kWh |
0.0044 |
Non-Competitive Charge(3),(4)
(Wholesale Market Service Charge + Rural Rate Protection Charge) |
Adjusted Usage |
$/kWh |
0.0056 |
| Standard Supply Service - Administration Charge (if applicable) (9) |
- |
$ |
0.25 |
| Debt Retirement Charge |
Metered Usage |
$/kWh |
0.00700 |
Electricity General Service Less than 50 kW Rate Notes:
(1) Small business customers receive simplified bill presentment; Electricity, Delivery, Regulatory Charges, Debt Retirement Charge sub-heading lines and amounts relating to these lines on their electricity bill. Line amounts represent roll-ups of several sub-component charges detailed in the detailed breakdown of General Service Less than 50 kW Electricity Rates & Prices table.
(2) "Commodity Charge" is the term used by Kingston Hydro to refer to the cost of the electric power itself. The price for that power (i.e. commodity price) may be fixed or floating. For those of you that are Regulated Price Plan (RPP) customers, RPP tiered rates and thresholds and RPP time-of-use rates are adjusted semi-annually by the OEB. For those of you that have a contract with a retailer, your commodity rate will be your contracted rate.
(3) These charges are based on Adjusted Usage (Factored Usage), which is calculated as Metered Usage multiplied by an Adjustment Factor (Total Loss Factor - TLF) that is approved by the OEB.
(4) Pass through fees paid to third parties.
(5) These Distribution fees are retained by Kingston Hydro Corporation.
(6) Smart Meter Rate Riders: The Smart Meter cost recovery rider and the Smart Meter incremental revenue rider are to recover historical costs incurred and revenue to cover future costs to be incurred respectively by Kingston Hydro in respect of the Ontario Government mandated smart meter implementation. See Kingston Hydro’s Decision and Order EB-2012-0310 for further detail.
(7) Rate Riders - see Kingston Hydro's Decision and Order EB-2010-0142 for further detail.
(8) Rate Riders - see Kingston Hydro's Decision and Order EB-2011-0178 for further detail.
(9) "Standard Supply Service - Administration Charge" If you've enrolled with a retailer, this charge will not be included with Regulatory charges on your bill.
(10) "Debt Retirement Charge" helps pay down the debt of the former Ontario Hydro.
(11) The Ontario Clean Energy Benefit takes 10% off the cost of up to 3,000 kWh per month of electricity use. It is effective for electricity used from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2015. Some exceptions apply, please visit www.Ontario.ca/OCEB or call 1-888-668-4636.
(12) Metered usage in kilowatt-hours is the amount of electricity you used in kilowatt-hours (kWh). It is calculated by taking the difference in meter readings and multiplied, if applicable, by the multiplier indicated on your meter.
(13) Adjusted usage (factored usage) in kilowatt-hours is the amount of electricity you used in kWh adjusted to cover the line losses in the electricity system that is not measured by your meter. When electricity is transmitted over long distances and passes through wires and transformers, it’s normal for a small amount of power to be used or lost as heat. For example, if we deliver 2,000 kWh to you, we must purchase a small amount more than what you use. To determine the amount of electricity we need to buy for you, we use a calculation called an “adjustment factor.” The adjustment factor is approved by the OEB. For Kingston Hydro General Service Less than 50 kW customers the adjustment factor is 1.0344.
(14) "IESO" is the Independent Electricity System Operator. The IESO manages Ontario's electricity system and operates the wholesale electricity market. It forecasts the demand for electricity and ensures that there are available supplies to meet that demand. http://www.ieso.ca/
General Service 50 to 4,999 kW
This classification refers to a non residential account whose monthly average peak demand is equal to or greater than, or is forecast to be equal to or greater than, 50 kW but less than 5,000 kW.
| Commodity Charge(2),(3),(4) |
$/kWh |
Market Price |
| Monthly Service Charge(5) |
$ |
272.68 |
| Distribution Volumetric Rate(5) |
$/kW |
1.9533 |
| Low Voltage Service Charge(4) |
$/kW |
0.2520 |
| Rate Rider - Deferral/Variance Account Disposition (2013) - effective until April 30, 2014(8) |
$/kW |
(0.3635) |
| Rate Rider Global Adjustment Sub-Account Disposition (2013) - effective until April 30, 2014(8) Applicable to Non-RPP customers Only |
$/kW |
2.7988 |
| Rate Rider - IncrementalCapital (2012)(7) |
$/kW |
0.0776 |
| Transmission Network Service Rate(4) |
$/kW |
2.5309 |
| Transmission Line and Transformation Connection Service Rate(3),(4) |
$/kW |
1.9102 |
Non-Competitive Charge(3),(4)
(Wholesale Market Service Charge + Rural Rate Protection Charge) |
$/kWh |
0.0056 |
| Standard Supply Service - Administration Charge (If applicable) |
$ |
0.25 |
| Debt Retirement Charge |
$/kWh |
0.00700 |
(1) Customers that are provided with Simplified Bill Presentment will see Electricity, Delivery, Regulatory Charges, Debt Retirement sub-heading lines and applicable amounts on their electricity bill. Line amounts represent roll-ups of several sub-component charges detailed in this table.
(2) Commodity Charge" is the term used by Kingston Hydro to refer to the cost of the electric power itself. The price for that power (i.e. commodity price) may be fixed or floating. For those of you that are Regulated Price Plan (RPP) customers, RPP tiered rates and thresholds and RPP time-of-use rates are adjusted semi-annually by the OEB. For those of you that have a contract with a retailer, your commodity rate will be your contracted rate
(3) These charges are uplifted by a Total Loss Factor
(4) Pass through fees paid to third parties
(5) These Distribution fees are Retained by Kingston Hydro Corporation
(6) Rate Riders - see Kingston Hydro's Decision and Order EB-2010-0178 for further detail
(7) Rate Riders - see Kingston Hydro's Decision and Order EB-2010-0142 for further detail
Large Use
This classification refers to an account whose monthly average peak demand is equal to or greater than, or is forecast to be equal to or greater than, 5,000 kW.
Unmetered Scattered Load
This classification refers to an account taking electricity at 750 volts or less whose monthly average peak demand is less than, or is forecast to be less than, 50 kW and the consumption is unmetered. Such connections include cable TV power packs, bus shelters, telephone booths, traffic lights, and railway crossings. The customer will provide detailed manufacturer information/ documentation with regard to electrical demand/consumption of the proposed unmetered load.