THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay Hydro has signed a partnership agreement with PowerStream Inc. to enable access to the Power.House® technology. The partnership between the two electricity distributors will allow Thunder Bay Hydro to establish an initial installation and then determine how to offer the technology to local customers.
“As a progressive, forward-thinking utility, we are seeking to implement technologies that may benefit our customers,” says Robert Mace. “This is a step forward in the strategic direction for our company. We know that in the future, the way customers use and interact with their electricity supplier is going to change. We are positioning ourselves to help them.”
Mace continues, “By entering into this partnership with a like-minded utility, we are able to leverage the experience, lessons learned and proven technology of PowerStream. This puts us several steps ahead of the market to offer our customers different supply options for their electricity service.”
A Power.House installation consists of rooftop solar panels, a bank of high-capacity, utility-grade batteries to store the power and a master control unit that all work together to collect solar energy during the day and convert it into electricity. The electricity is then sent to the battery backup, used in the home or forwarded to the electricity grid for credit. A software management system determines the routing depending on what is best for the homeowner.
After results for the initial installation are in, Thunder Bay Hydro will review how Power.House will impact our customer’s costs and impact our own distribution system. We will also be able to determine how to offer this service to our customers in the future.
At this time, arrangements for an initial local site are being finalized.
Thunder Bay Hydro Corporation is a group of companies serving Thunder Bay and area with electricity distribution, generation and utility services. Thunder Bay Hydro Electricity Distribution Inc. is responsible for the power line system within the city limits of Thunder Bay and for delivering electricity to the homes and businesses here. We are the local, front-line customer service face of the province’s electrical industry providing for the reading of customer meters, billing, and offering energy conservation advice and programs. We build, plan & maintain the local power line system and provide 24-hour emergency response.
PowerStream is a community-owned energy company that provides power and related services to more than 380,000 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.
