Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008 Nipigon-Red Rock Gazette Page 5 Ontario Energy Board Commission de I’Energie de I’Ontario NOTICE OF APPLICATION AND HEARING FOR AN ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION RATE CHANGE HYDRO ONE NETWORKS INC. Ontario EB-2007-0681 Hydro One Networks Inc. has filed its completed application with the Ontario Energy Board, received on December 18, 2007, under section 78 of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, S.O. 1998, c. 15 (Schedule B), seeking approval for changes to the rates that Hydro One Networks Inc. charges for electricity distribution, to be effective May 1, 2008. The Board has assigned the application file number EB-2007-0681. The Board’s decision on this application may have an effect on all of Hydro One Networks Inc.’s distribution customers. Any change to Hydro One Networks Inc.’s distribution rates will cause Hydro One Networks Inc.’s delivery charges to change. Delivery charges are one of four regular items on residential and general service customers’ electricity bills and vary depending on the amount of electricity consumed. Hydro One Networks Inc. is seeking approval of $1,067,000,000 as the 2008 revenue it requires to provide electricity distribution. Hydro One Networks Inc. indicates that if the application is approved as filed, an average customer would experience an increase of less than 1% on the total electricity bill. Hydro One Networks is also seeking to simplify its rate structure by harmonizing (consolidating) the rates for its 88 acquired utilities and its existing legacy rates, over a four year period. This will result in 12 common rate classes for all customers at the end of four years. Hydro One Networks indicates that, if the application is approved as filed, the 2008 total bill impact will range from a decrease of 11.0% to an increase of 9.8% for residential customers consuming 1000 kWh per month. For general service energy-billed customers consuming 2000 kWh per month the total bill impact may range from a decrease of 21.5% to an increase of 8.9%. Hydro One Networks has forecast that the harmonization plan will have slightly lower annual impacts from 2009 to 2011. At the end of the four year harmonization period, the majority of Hydro One Networks’ customers will see a total bill increase of less than 5%. However, some customers with community-specific rates may experience bill impacts greater than this. Hydro One Networks’ customers can confirm if this applies to them by checking their “service typeâ€, which appears on page 2 of their Hydro One Networks bill beside the words "Your electricity charges". If the “service type†shown on your bill includes your specific community’s name, you can obtain further information on your bill impacts by going to www.HydroOneNetworks.com/2Q08RateApprication or calling Hydro One Networks Inc. at 1-866-543-8031. How to see Hydro One Networks Inc.’s Application Copies of the application are available for inspection at the Board’s office in Toronto and on its website, www.oeb.gov.on.ca. and at Hydro One Networks Inc.’s website www.HydroOneNetworks.com and at the following Hydro One Networks Inc. offices: Head Office, 483 Bay Street, Toronto Markham Office, 185 Clegg Road, Markham Barrie Field Business Centre, 45 Sarjeant Drive, Barrie Peterborough Field Business Centre, 913 Crawford Drive, Peterborough Sudbury Field Business Centre, 957 Falconbridge Road, Sudbury Merivale Service Centre, 31 Woodfield Drive, Ottawa Dundas Field Business Centre, 40 Olympic Drive, Dundas, Beachville Field Business Centre, 56 Embro Street, Beachviile, Thunder Bay Field Business Centre, 255 Burwood Road, Thunder Bay How to Participate You may participate in this proceeding in one of three ways: 1. Send a Letter with your Comments to the Board Your letter with comments will be provided to the Board members deciding the application, and will be part of the public record for the application. If you wish to make an oral presentation to the Board, your letter should include this request. Your letter must be received by the Board no later than 30 days from the publication or service date of this notice. The Board accepts letters of comment by either post or e-mail at the addresses below. 2. Become an Observer Observers do not actively participate in the proceeding but monitor the progress of the proceeding by receiving documents issued by the Board. You may request observer status in order to receive documents issued by the Board in this proceeding If you become an observer, you need to contact the applicant and others to receive documents that they file in this proceeding and they may charge you for this. Most documents filed in this application will also be available on the Board’s website. Your request for observer status must be made in writing and be received by the Board no later than 10 days from the publication or service date of this notice. The Board accepts observer request letters by either post or e-mail at the addresses below; however, two paper copies are also required. You must also provide a copy of your letter to the applicant. 3. Become an Intervener You may ask to become an intervener if you wish to actively participate in the proceeding. Interveners are eligible to receive evidence and other material submitted by participants in the hearing. Likewise, interveners will be expected to send copies of any material they file to all parties to the hearing. Your request for intervener status must be made by letter of intervention and be received by the Board no later than 10 days from the publication or service date of this notice. Your letter of intervention must include a description of how you are, or may be, affected by the outcome of this proceeding; and if you represent a group, a description of the group and its membership. The Board may order costs in this proceeding. You must indicate in your letter of intervention whether you expect to seek costs from the applicant and the grounds for your eligibility for costs. You must provide a copy of your letter of intervention to the applicant. The Board may choose to proceed with this application by way of written or oral hearing, in addition, the Board may give consideration to hearing this application in phases. The Board will not hold a written hearing if a party satisfies the Board that there is good reason for holding an oral hearing. Your letter of intervention should indicate your preference for a written or oral hearing, and the reason for that preference. If you already have a user ID, please submit your intervention request through the Board’s web portal at www.errr.oeb.gov.on.ca. Additionally, two paper copies are required. If you do not have a user ID, please visit the Board’s website under e-filings and fill out a user ID password request. For instructions on how to submit and naming conventions please refer to the RESS Document Guidelines found at www.oeb.gov.on.ca. e-Filing Services. The Board also accepts interventions by e-mail, at the address below, and again, two additional paper copies are required. Those who do not have internet access are required to submit their intervention request on a CD or diskette in PDF format, along with two paper copies. How to Contact Us In responding to this Notice, please include Board file number EB-2007-0681 in the subject line of your e-mail or at the top of your letter. It is also important that you provide your name, postal address and telephone number and, if available, an e-mail address and fax number. All communications should be directed to the attention of the Board Secretary at the address below, and be received no later than 4:45 p.m. on the required date. Need More Information? Further information on how to participate may be obtained by visiting the Board’s website at www.oeb.gov.on.ca or by calling our Consumer Relations Centre at 1-877-632-2727. IMPORTANT IF YOU DO NOT REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCEEDING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS NOTICE, THE BOARD MAY PROCEED IN YOUR ABSENCE AND YOU WILL NOT BE ENTITLED TO ANY FURTHER NOTICE IN THIS PROCEEDING. Addresses The Board: Post: Ontario Energy Board P.O. Box 2319 2300 Yonge Street, 27th Floor Toronto ON M4P 1E4 Attention: Board Secretary Filings : www.errr.oeb.gov.on.ca E-mail: Boardsec@oeb.gov.on.ca Tel: 1-888-632-6273 (toll free) Fax: 416-440-7656 Counsel for the Applicant: Mr. D.H. Rogers, Q.C. Rogers Partners LLP 181 University Avenue Suite 1900, P.O. Box 97 Toronto ON M5H 3M7 Tel: 416-594-4500 Fax:416-594-9100 Email: don.rogers@rogerspartners.com Ce document est disponible en francais. DATED at Toronto, January 14, 2008 ONTARIO ENERGY BOARD Original Signed by Kirsten Walli Board Secretary The Applicant: Hydro One Networks Inc. 8th Floor, South Tower 483 Bay Street Toronto ON MSG 2P5 Attention: Mr. Glen MacDonald Senior Advisor - Regulatory Affairs Email: glen.e.macdonald@HydroQne.com Tel: 416-345-5913 Fax: 416-345-5866