Niagara on the Lake Hydro, along with other local distribution companies throughout Ontario, is participating in a mandatory province-wide voltage reduction test on Tuesday, August 9th, 2016. This exercise, which is conducted by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), is not expected to have any negative effects on electricity consumers. Brief voltage reductions of this scale are not noticeable to most customers except for the possibility of a slight dimming of the lights.
The voltage reduction test will consist of two exercises:
- A 3% voltage reduction to take place between 9 am to 10 am, and
- A 5% voltage reduction to take place between 1pm to 2pm.
Both tests will be one hour in duration. Tests are subject to postponement if system conditions are unfavourable.
Voltage reduction is an emergency operating measure that the IESO can employ in order to protect the reliability of the power system or to avoid the need for rotating power outages when the demand for electricity in the province exceeds supply. The IESO performs this test every 18 months to ensure the effectiveness of this measure.
Voltage reduction tests allow the IESO to record the load reduction resulting from a system wide voltage reduction, and to locate potential problems that may occur during emergencies. They are an important part of emergency training for the IESO and market participants, including Niagara on the lake Hydro. These tests also give consumers an opportunity to test equipment and processes in advance of a real-time, unplanned voltage reduction.
To report any disruption in power during the exercise or at any other time, please call NOTL Hydro at 905-468-4235.
For additional information on voltage reductions please visit the IESO website or contact the IESO Customer Relations at 1-888-448-7777.