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Toronto Hydro announces OPsaver, RTUsaver, PUMPsaver programs

“Toronto Hydro’s customers are unique and require conservation programs tailored to their needs in order to achieve the highest energy savings,” said Chris Tyrrell, executive vice-president and chief customer care and conservation officer at Toronto Hydro. “We look forward to being able to offer our customers these pilot programs to help them become more energy efficient and lower their energy consumption and cost.”

Under the new framework, LDCs like Toronto Hydro, are encouraged to develop conservation programs tailored to the local and regional needs of their customers. The target for all LDCs’ efforts is 7 TWh, or seven billion kilowatt hours, by 2020. Toronto Hydro has been allocated the largest energy savings target in the province at 1.58 TWh.

Its three new programs include:

• OPsaver—encourages continuous energy improvements through operational changes and incentives based on a “pay for performance” model. This pilot is targeted at owners or managers of commercial office buildings.

• RTUsaver—tests the effectiveness of installing advanced control systems on rooftop units (RTUs). In collaboration with Enbridge Gas Distribution, this program is for buildings with four or more RTUs, each with a minimum five-ton cooling capacity.

• PUMPsaver—focuses on rebalancing hydronic systems and is targeted at multi-unit residential and commercial buildings with a main chilled or hot water supply pump more than 25 horsepower in size.

These pilots are designed to collect information and customer feedback, determine their effectiveness, and inform decisions on whether they should be permanent programs that can be rolled out locally or across the province, Toronto Hydro said.