Woodstock Hydro uses a device called "Pay as you go Electricity". We have been involved in the "pay as you go " program since 1989. The system is a voluntary program for our customers. Approximately 25% of our residential customer base use the "pay as you go system" and love the empowerment the system gives them.

"Pay as you go Electricity" is a pre pay device that gives customers more control over their energy consumption and allows them to conserve and manage electricity. The smart meter can be used as a pre pay device with a display unit or a post pay device with a display unit.

If you can monitor it you can manage it.
The utility connects a smart meter to the meter socket and the customer plugs in a display unit into any electrical wall outlet in their home. The display unit communicates through the house wiring to the smart meter. The customer takes a smart card to the local variety store and buys power in any dollar amount they like. No more surprise high hydro bills in fact no more bills. The customer gets information from the display unit in real time. The customer can see what they are using in dollars and cents per hour (something they understand) instead of the confusing kilowatt hour information that is on the normal post paid bill. The customer is now in control of their electricity. They can see what each appliance costs them and can conserve.

The traditional post paid metering systems, that electric utilities use is very customer unfriendly and promotes energy inefficiency. Let me explain, utilities have been using the traditional post paid meter for over 90 years. They put the meter outside the customers home where the customer cannot see the meter. The meter has funny dials that very few know how to read and the energy is measured in something the consumer does not understand -- Kilowatt hours. The utility than sends a customer a bill, that is usually difficult to understand, and where the customer has no ability to monitor or manage their energy usage.

Utility Benefits:

Each of these savings is important to both energy suppliers and consumers. Every dollar of cost saved is a dollar of cost that does not need to be passed on to the consumer.

We have found that the payback to a utility is between 4 - 5 years, with no government financial incentive.

Customers are becoming more concerned and frustrated by ever increasing hydro bills. Governments should not be surprised, you must give the customer a tool (in home display unit) to manage their electricity usage.

A study in the USA has shown that pre pay customers use 10 - 20 % less energy than the traditional post pay customers. Our stats have shown also that pre pay customers use approx. 20% less energy.

Our statistics have shown that a 20% conservation reduction in electricity (per household) equates into approx. 1.5 - 2 tonnes in green house gas emissions reduction.