PowerStream Reports 4.2% Less Electricity Used During Earth Hour 2016

VAUGHAN, ON--(Marketwired - March 19, 2016) - Earth Hour 2016 saw thousands of PowerStream customers, in the nine municipalities served by the electric utility, indicate their willingness to help fight climate change by turning off their lights for 60 minutes to reduce electricity consumption. 

PowerStream's System Control Centre reported a service territory-wide ­4.2% per cent electricity consumption reduction between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday*. This was a decrease from the 6.0 per cent reduction achieved collectively last year by customers in PowerStream's service territory during Earth Hour 2015. 

The 2016 results represented a total savings of 43.0 megawatts (MW) in peak demand, or enough electricity to power 1,303 average-size homes over a 24-hour period. The reductions achieved per municipality in 2016 were as follows:

* (in comparison to a typical consumption pattern normally experienced on a similar type of day, taking into consideration hour of the day, time of year and weather).

PowerStream also supported Earth Hour 2016 in several other ways. In addition to powering down the lights at its four work locations in Vaughan, Markham and Barrie, as well as reporting municipal power consumption reduction totals throughout its service territory during Earth Hour. PowerStream further demonstrates its commitment to the environment by sponsoring the Vaughan Earth Hour Lantern Walk held a Vaughan City Hall as well as the Markham Earth Hour Lantern Walk at the Cornell Community Centre. At both events, PowerStream had displays showcasing the energy conservation programs the company offers both residential and business customers.

QUOTES

•  "Earth Hour is a symbolic and meaningful event for residents to demonstrate their support to help fight climate change and shed light on how we can all make a difference by reducing our electricity consumption," said Maurizio Bevilacqua, PowerStream Board Chair and City of Vaughan Mayor. "We are pleased with our customers' response as participants in this global event."

BACKGROUND

• In 2008, PowerStream was one of the first companies in Canada to participate in Earth Hour. That year, the company hosted the Ontario Electric Utilities Employee Hockey Tournament and made arrangements to have all games suspended and arena lights turned off during Earth Hour.

ABOUT POWERSTREAM

PowerStream is a community-owned energy company providing power and related services to more than 375,000 customers residing or owning a business in communities located immediately north of Toronto and in Central Ontario. It is jointly owned by the Cities of Barrie, Markham and Vaughan.

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