______________________

John Pickernell

Assistant Board Secretary

Ontario Energy Board

416-440-7605

Fax: 416-440-7656

Website: www.oeb.gov.on.ca

Official Correspondence: BoardSec@oeb.gov.on.ca



Address:

P.O. Box 2319

2300 Yonge Street 27th Floor

Toronto, ON

M4P 1E4

______________________





_____

From: Veredian Miller
Sent: October 27, 2009 11:15 AM
To: 'erin.constant@gmail.com'
Cc: BoardSec
Subject: Letter of Comment - Horizon Utilities- EB-2009-0332



Ref: 2009-0011929



Dear Ms. Constant:



Thank you for your web submission regarding your concerns with the increase in rates applied for by Horizon Utilities. I sincerely apologize for the delay in replying.



Electricity distribution rates are designed to cover the costs incurred by utilities to provide electricity services to individual homes and businesses within its service territory. This includes not only the cost to design and build but to regularly maintain overhead and underground distribution lines, poles, stations and local transformers, and to operate local systems. It also includes the monthly customer service charge, which covers the operations of the utility (for example meter reading, billing and accounting services etc.).



The Board currently does have an application (EB-2009-0332) before it from Horizon Utilities for electricity rates. Your web submission has been forwarded to our Board Secretary’s office to be placed in the public file as a written letter of comment, as part of the proceeding. Please be advised that a PDF version of your correspondence, including your contact information (name and address) will be available in the Public File Room as well as on our website under the corresponding regulatory documents.



During the public hearing process Board staff and other interested parties, such as the Consumers Association of Canada and the Vulnerable Energy Consumers Coalition, will examine Horizon’s application. The Board makes its decision based on all the information and submissions of affected parties and individuals. The Board needs to consider the ability of Horizon to continue to provide safe and reliable electricity distribution service to its customers while, at the same time, considering the interests of and impacts on Horizon’s customers.



In making its decisions with respect to an application to change rates by an electricity distributor the Ontario Energy Board has multiple goals, including:



Protecting the interests of consumers with respect to prices and the adequacy, reliability and quality of electricity service
And to facilitate the maintenance of a financially viable electricity industry.



The Ontario Energy Board regulates the province’s electricity and natural gas sectors in the public interest. It envisions a viable and efficient energy sector with informed consumers, and works towards this vision through regulatory processes that are effective, fair and transparent.



Thank you for bringing this matter to the attention of the Board.



Yours truly,





Veredian Miller



Veredian Miller

Correspondence Coordinator

Communications & Consumer Relations

Ontario Energy Board

P.O. Box 2319

2300 Yonge St - 27th floor

Toronto ON M4P 1E4

Fax : 416-440-7656

E-mail: Veredian.Miller@oeb.gov.on.ca





Best time to reach: No Preference

I have a complaint regarding the fact that Horizon

Utility has applied to the Ontario Energy Board to raise distribution rates to cover

an ¿unforeseen¿ revenue shortfall of $2.8 million between May 2008 and April

2011.

We haven't even approaced 2011 yet! How can they predict what their losses

are going to be 2 years from now? They say it's due to the recession... do they

think they are the only business affected by the recession? I lost my job back in

April due to corporate downsizing, and can barely afford to pay my bills now, let

alone when each company thinks that raising their price will help the economy!!

Charging more to customers will not help the region, only put us further into debt.

The whole reason we are trying to spend less and use less is to 1. help the environment

and 2. keep our houses by spending less. If we continue to raise the bills, everyday

working class people will no longer be able to afford houses and only leave the region

with less residents and fewer customers for all businesses...

Long storey short-

Niagara simply can't afford any more increases with having the 2nd highest unemployment

rate in the COUNTRY!!



Erin Constant,

erin.constant@gmail.com



+1 (289) 686-7035



116 Lowell Ave

St Catharines ON L2R 2E2





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