Ontario Energy Board

The Ontario Energy Board (French: Commission de l'énergie de l'Ontario) regulates natural gas and electricity utilities in the province of Ontario, Canada. This includes setting rates, and licensing all participants in the electricity sector including the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), generators, transmitters, distributors, wholesalers and electricity retailers, as well as natural gas marketers who sell to low volume customers.

To ensure an adequate level of consumer protection in the energy markets, the Board developed codes of conduct for gas marketers and electricity retailers, and established a complaint resolution process for energy consumers. The Board also provides a broad range of information to energy consumers about electricity and natural gas in Ontario.

The Board oversees the electricity market and ensures regulated gas and electricity monopoly utilities comply with Board decisions and orders. This includes conducting audits, performing compliance monitoring activities and monitoring various aspects of the gas and electricity utilities’ financial operating performance.

In the electricity sector, the Board sets transmission and distribution rates, and approves the IESO's budget and fees. The Board also sets the regulated price of electricity for residential and small business consumers on the Regulated Price Plan. Consumers who have signed contracts with an electricity retailer will pay the price set out in their contract. The Board licenses all electricity retailers who sell electricity to residential and small commercial consumers.

Board approval is required prior for:

The Board also monitors markets in the electricity sector and reports to the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure on the efficiency, fairness, transparency and competitiveness of the markets, and reports any abuse or potential abuse of market power. The Board may also be asked to review the IESO market rules and consider appeals of IESO orders.

In the natural gas sector, utilities are required to submit the rates they propose to charge their customers to the Board for review. The Board approves rates associated with the cost to transport, store and distribute natural gas from utilities to consumers as well as charges to administer natural gas accounts. The Board also approves the price utilities can charge consumers for the natural gas they use. Natural gas utilities do not make a profit on the sale of natural gas. It is sold to consumers with no mark-up. Consumers who have signed contracts with a natural gas marketer will pay the price set out in their contract.

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Wikipedia