Energy conservation while managing consumer electricity cost is part of the Ontario government's plan to modernize the province's electricity infrastructure.
QUICK FACTS - In January 2012, the United States Department of Energy launched its Green Button initiative. Ontario is taking steps to become the first to establish a province-wide Green Button initiative.
- Smart grid technology uses two-way digital communications to help consumers control their electricity use and costs while ensuring consumers have reliable power by letting utility companies pinpoint and automatically fix power outages.
- Ontario has completed full rollout of smart meters to homes and small business consumers across the province, over 4.7 million in total.
- The province’s conservation efforts have decreased electricity demand by over 1,900 megawatts between 2005 and 2011 — the equivalent of over 600,000 homes being taken off the grid.