Ontario Home FAQs |
 |
 Click here for general FAQs |
 |
Residential Sign-up and Support: Bundled option
The bundled option is right for you if you are currently billed directly for electricity and you would prefer to receive only one bill. For 8.9 cents per kWh, Bullfrog Power will supply your home with green electricity by injecting renewable electricity into the grid to match the amount of power your home uses. Your price is guaranteed for a year, and you can discontinue your service anytime without any cancellation fees. For an average home in Ontario, the extra cost to green your electricity service through Bullfrog Power is less than 80 cents a day. Please note, however, that with this option the Provincial Benefit charge will also appear on your bill, and you will have to renew annually.
Do I need any special equipment or wiring?
No, it’s very easy to become bullfrogpowered. You do not need any special equipment or wiring to sign up for Bullfrog Power nor are service calls to your home necessary to get you started. You will continue to draw power from the electricity grid as you always have, and Bullfrog’s generators will inject renewable electricity onto the regional grid to match the amount of power your home uses.
Who maintains the wires that deliver electricity to my home?
Your local utility will continue to maintain the infrastructure that delivers electricity to your home, and you will continue to draw power from the electricity grid as you always have. The reliability of your service will therefore be unaffected by switching to Bullfrog Power.
How much does Bullfrog Power cost?
For 8.9 cents per kWh, Bullfrog Power will supply your home with green electricity by injecting renewable electricity into the grid to match the amount of power your home uses. Your price is guaranteed for a year, and you can discontinue your service anytime without any cancellation fees. For an average home in Ontario, the extra cost to green your electricity service through Bullfrog Power is less than 80 cents a day. Please note, however, that with this option the Provincial Benefit charge will also appear on your bill, and you will have to renew annually.
Will the electricity rate fluctuate?
Your Bullfrog Power price for electricity is guaranteed for one year. You can rest easy knowing that you will only pay 8.9 cents per kWh for the duration of your contract (one year). Plus, you may terminate your contract at any time.
What is the rate for "regular" electricity from my local utility?
Your local utility charges you 6.5 cents per kWh for your first 600 kWh/month of consumption and 7.5 cents per kWh above 600 kWh.
How does billing work? Will becoming bullfrogpowered affect my current supplier arrangement/billing?
Once you have completed the sign up process, we will contact your local utility to inform it that you have signed on for green electricity with Bullfrog Power. The local utility will let us know the date of your next scheduled meter read. Your switch to Bullfrog Power will become effective following this meter read, which could take an average of two months after you have completed the sign up process. Your first Bullfrog Power charge will appear on your utility bill (for the billing period following the switch) an average of two months after the switch. In short, it could take an average of two months (from the time of signing up online) to become bullfrogpowered, and then another two months until Bullfrog appears on your utility bill. If this time period is too long for you, and you want to become bullfrogpowered—and begin paying a premium for green electricity—immediately, consider signing on through our unbundled option.
Once you make the switch to Bullfrog Power, the residential bill that you receive from your local utility will look a bit different. The Electricity Commodity and Provincial Benefit will be included, and components of the bill will be as follows:
1. Electricity: this is the cost of the electricity supplied to you. For 8.9 cents per kWh, Bullfrog Power will supply your home with green electricity by injecting renewable electricity into the grid to match the amount of power your home uses.
2. The Provincial Benefit (sometimes also called the Global Adjustment): the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) requires that local utilities display the Provincial Benefit as a separate line item on electricity bills for all accounts enrolled with an electricity retailer, such as Bullfrog Power.
Under the Regulated Price Plan, this amount is included in the regular electricity rates you are being charged.
The Ontario government charges the Provincial Benefit to compensate for the difference between the market price of electricity and the price paid to certain generators, and to pay for other government initiatives such as conservation and demand-response programs. The Provincial Benefit can be a credit or a charge, and the amount is transferred by your local utility to or from the appropriate entities. The Provincial Benefit was originally a reduction in the cost of electricity. Recently, however, the Provincial Benefit has become a charge and the size of that charge is increasing. To avoid the Provincial Benefit charge appearing on your bill, you can sign up for Bullfrog Power’s more convenient and affordable unbundled billing option.
3. Delivery: the cost of delivering electricity from generators to your local utility and then to your home or business. The charge is set by the Ontario Energy Board and is not kept by Bullfrog Power.
4. Regulatory: the costs of administering the wholesale electricity system and maintaining the reliability of the provincial grid. This charge is set by the Ontario Energy Board and is not kept by Bullfrog Power.
5. Debt Retirement Charge: this charge is set by the Ministry of Finance and is designed to pay down the residual stranded debt of the former Ontario Hydro. This amount is not kept by Bullfrog Power.
Is there any charge for switching from my local utility to Bullfrog Power?
There is no charge for switching to Bullfrog Power. When you terminate your account with your local utility, however, it will charge you for the Regulated Price Plan variance amount. You will pay this amount regardless of whether you switch to Bullfrog Power—it is just a matter of when you have to pay it.
The variance amount reflects the difference between what your utility paid to generators for electricity and what consumers like you paid to the utility. For those who remain with their utility, the charge is included in their electricity rate. For more information on the Regulated Price Plan and current variance amounts, visit the Ontario Energy Board web site.
How do I make my payments?
You pay your bill directly through your local utility. You can select from the various payment options that your local utility makes available to its customers.
Can I cancel my agreement?
Yes, you can cancel your Bullfrog Power agreement at any time simply by notifying Bullfrog Power. The cancellation will take effect at your next available meter read as indicated by your utility. There are no cancellation fees or penalties; however, you are responsible for any charges for Bullfrog Power incurred up to the date of your next meter read.
What happens if I move to a home within my local utility’s service area?
You can easily sign on your new home for green electricity with Bullfrog Power if you move within your utility's service area.
First, call your local utility to inform it of your move in and out dates. It will then notify Bullfrog Power and we will update your account information with the details of your move. It is important that you inform your utility’s customer service representative that you would like to remain with your retailer—so they do not drop your account with Bullfrog Power.
Once your utility confirms your move request, please let a Bullfrog Power customer service representative know your new address, phone number and email address, and we will update your account with this information.
What happens if I move to a home outside of my local utility’s service area?
If you are moving out of your local utility's service area, you will need to contact your current utility and inform them of your move out date. You will also need to contact your new utility and set up an account with them.
Once your utility confirms your request, please let a Bullfrog Power customer service representative know your new address, phone number and email address. Once you have moved in and have received your first bill from your new utility, please feel free to sign on for Bullfrog Power again using our online sign up wizard.
What happens if I move to a location that is not metered or that is billed by a third party for electricity (i.e. a condo, rental unit)?
First, call your local utility to inform it of your move out date. Your utility will then send Bullfrog Power a message to confirm the closure of your account. You can expect to receive your final Bullfrog Power bill after your move out date for the power you consumed before leaving the address.
If you would like to bullfrogpower your new residence that is billed by a third party or is not metered, you can do so through our unbundled billing option. This option enables you to pay the green premium separately from your electricity provider’s charges, whether the charges are absorbed into your rent or you are billed for them directly. Click here for more information.
What happens if there is a power outage?
Your local utility will continue to maintain the infrastructure that delivers power to your home, and you will continue to draw power from the grid as you always have. The reliability of your service will therefore be unaffected by becoming bullfrogpowered. In the event of a power outage, contact your local utility directly.
What is mybullfrog?
mybullfrog is your personalized and secure online customer support area that provides access to your Bullfrog Power account information including billing statements, emissions reduction information, and tools to analyze your historical usage patterns. You can register for mybullfrog through the online sign up form.
|
