Between now and 2025, Ontario must build almost a whole new electricity system. This includes replacing about 80% of its current generating facilities as they retire over time, and expanding the system to meet future growth. That’s why the provincial government directed all local distribution companies to install smart meters in every home and small business in the province by 2010. Smart meters, when teamed with time-of-use pricing, are a key part of building a culture of conservation across the province and achieving signifi cant reductions in peak demand through load shifting. This case study illustrates how Hydro One's intelligent communications infrastructure has laid the foundation for the Smart Grid of the future — a smart network that will integrate energy efficiency, demand response, automation, and distributed generation to enable the grid to operate more efficiently and reliably.

Mar 31, 2009