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Why Standard Offer Contracts are Good Value to Ontario
January 26, 2006
Ver. 02
Standard Offer Contracts offer good value to Ontario ratepayers. Here's why.
- They reduce reliance on costly centralized sources,
- They reduce supply risk due to increasing dependence on natural gas,
- They build more generation that use "made in Ontario" resources,
- They reduce influence of fossil-fuel price volatility on ratepayers,
- They are an insurance policy against an uncertain energy future,
- They will be considered a bargain in the future,
- They begin to address the serious energy situation in North America,
- They begin building a more sustainable electricity system in Ontario,
- They begin to address two decades of neglect in Ontario's electricity network,
- They keep ratepayer money flowing through the Ontario economy by investing in provincial resources,
- They enlist the direct participation-and the investment-of Ontarians in their own energy future,
- They encourage the participation of Ontario farmers and first nations in building new generating supply,
- They are a start toward creating a "conservation culture" necessary for Ontario to provide a secure and stable energy supply,
- They are part of a "no regrets" policy in tackling Ontario's energy future,
- For many years they will not add appreciably to the cost of electricity to Ontario consumers,
- They send a signal to renewable energy companies worldwide that Ontario welcomes the jobs that a vibrant and dynamic industry may bring to the province,
- They provide opportunity to all Ontarians, not just an elite few,
- They help homeowners, farmers, and small businesses install solar systems on their homes, barns, and businesses,
- They support multiple small projects throughout the province, creating a wide geographic distribution that reduces the loss of electricity in transmission,
- They support multiple technologies that diversify Ontario's sources of generation, increasing system reliability and stability,
- They pay Ontario farmers and other landowners to generate electricity, generating revenues not only for farmers but also property taxes for municipalities,
- They pay for electricity that will never be subjected to future taxes or penalties on carbon,
- They pay for electricity that does not create smog or acid rain or contribute to climate change, and
- With energy conservation, they form an essential part of the solution to Ontario's shortage of electricity.
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