peaksaverPLUS® Program Load Impact and Process Evaluation

This report documents the impact and process evaluation of Ontario Power Authority’s residential and small commercial demand response program, previously marketed as peaksaver™ and now marketed as peaksaverPLUS®. The peaksaverPLUS® program is open to residential and small commercial consumers who participate by allowing a one-way paging network to control either a programmable communicating thermostat (PCT) or load control switch to curtail electricity demand for central air conditioners, electric water heaters or pool pumps during the peak period on high electricity demand days. peaksaverPLUS® also offers consumers an in-home display (IHD) that allows participants to monitor their electAricity consumption and associated cost in real time. Ontario’s local distribution companies (LDCs) are responsible for procuring the equipment offered and for marketing the program (jointly with OPA). As of December 2012, approximately 180,000 control devices were installed on central air conditioners in Ontario, nearly all of them at residential premises. In addition, nearly 50,000 IHDs had been installed at participant premises.