You've got questions? We've got answers!

Need more information? Visit our Contact Us section of our website here on ways to reach us.

• Where is Welland Hydro-Electric System Corp. located?

  The main office and customer service centre for Welland Hydro-Electric System Corp. is located at 950 East Main Street in Welland.

   

  For more information and directions, visit the "Contact Us" section of our website here.

• Where can I make bill payments?

  At this time, you can make bill payments by credit card, mail, through automatic withdrawal from your bank account, through telephone banking, and in person at our Customer Service Centre.

  For more information, please visit the Residential and Business "Payment Options" section of our website.

• If I am paying by cheque, who should it be made payable to?

  All cheques (personal and certified) should be made payable to:

  • • Welland Hydro-Electric System Corp.

  Please be sure to include the bill stub with your payment.

• Can I pay my bill at the Welland Hydro-Electric System Corp. office?

  Yes, bill payment can be made by debit or cash, cheque (personal and certified) or money order.

• How can I confirm my account balance?

  You can find out what your account balance is by calling our Customer Service Centre at 905-732-1381. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 am. to 4:30 p.m. (excluding holidays).

• There are charges on my bill that I do not understand?

  For more information on the various aspects of your bill, please visit the Residential and Business "About Your Utility Bill" section of our website.

  If you still do not have your answers, feel free to contact us.

• What is Pre-Authorized Payment?

  Welland Hydro-Electric System Corp. offers the convenience of a Pre-Authorized Payment (PAP) Plan option. Under this plan, when your bill is due, the exact amount is automatically withdrawn from your bank account.

• How do I contact you about my bill?

  If you have any questions or concerns about your bill, contact our Customer Service Centre during normal business hours, 8:30 am. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) at 905-732-1381 or through our Inquiry Form.

• Why is my Delivery Charge higher than my Electricity Charge?

  The Delivery Charge consists of 4 different parts:

   

  The Distribution Charge is based on the number of kWh used during the billing period and is calculated on the metered kWh. The Network Service Charge is based on the number of kWh used during the billing period and is calculated on the adjusted kWh. The Line Connection Charge is based on the number of kWh used during the billing period and is calculated on the adjusted kWh. The Monthly Service Charge is a flat rate calculated on the number of days of the billing period.

   

  When consumption is low, the Monthly Service Charge is the largest part of the Delivery Charge. As kWh consumption increases, the Monthly Service Charge amount will stay the same but the Electricity Charge will increase at a faster rate than the remaining parts of the Delivery Charge until the Electricity Charge becomes larger than the total Delivery Charge. The point where the Delivery Charge and the Electricity Charge are close to equal is approximately 981 adjusted kWh on a 60 day bill.

• How can I reduce my waste and go paperless?

  You can go paperless and help the environment by receiving your hydro bill electronically. For more information, visit www.epost.ca.

• Having problems viewing the web site?

  The web site has been tested to display correctly in many of todays popular web browsers, such as, Microsoft Internet Explorer (6, 7 & 8), Mac Safari, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome. There may be slight discrepancies from one browser to the next. If you are encountering technical problems with viewing the web site, please feel free to e-mail webmaster@wellandhydro.com. Please include the following information in your e-mail: 1) name and version of your web browser, 2) the operating system you are running on your computer, and 3) a detail description of steps to recreate the problem. We will try to help correct the problem for you!

   

  The web site was designed to be displayed in a screen resolution of 1024x768 or higher. Some portions of the web site require "Javascript" and "Browser Cookies" to be turned on to work correctly.

• i have had my refrigerator and/or freezer collected. How do i claim my $25 gift card?

  When your refrigerator and/or freezer is collected, a pick-up receipt will be left with you. To receive your $25 gift card, please bring your pick-up receipt into our office at 950 East Main Street during our regular business hours. Only appliances that are collected during the 2010 calendar year are eligible for the $25 gift card.

• i have had my refrigerator and/or freezer collected and can not find my pick-up receipt. can i still receive the $25 gift card?

  Yes, you are still eligible for the $25 gift card, however, we must confirm your appliance was collected prior to issuing a gift card. Please call 905-732-1381 extension 268 prior to coming into the office. Please note that under no circumstances will a gift card be given out until we can verify that your appliance was picked up.

• i am interested in the peaksaver program. how do i register?

  To register for the peaksaver program you need to come into our office at 950 East Main Street during our regular business hours. You will complete and sign a registration form, be given a thermostat and a list of trained contractors that can install your device.

• i have installed many thermostats before. can i install my peaksaver thermostat?

  Your peaksaver thermostat is different from other programmable thermostats. The list of contractors you are provided with when you register for the program have been specifically trained to install these types of thermostats. If the thermostat is installed by anyone other than one of the contractors on the list that was provided when you registered for the program, the installation will still have to be verified that it was done correctly. If during the verification it is discovered that the thermostat was not installed correctly and as a result is now damaged, you will be charged $225 plus applicable taxes to replace the damaged unit.

   

  The cost of installation is covered when you select one of the trained contractors, so there is no benefit to install it using someone else.

• i need help with my peaksaver thermostat. who can i call?
  Please call 1-866-869-8406 if you have any questions relating to your peaksaver thermostat.
• i have had my peaksaver thermostat installed. when will i receive my account credit?
  Your $25 account credit will be applied within 30 days of receiving your installing contractor's work order. We need this document to verify that your peaksaver thermostat has been installed and is working properly. Depending on your billing cycle, your account credit might not appear on the hydro bill immediately following the installation of your thermostat.
• how many peaksaver events have we had this year?

  In 2010, we have had the following peaksaver events:

   

  May 20, 2010 13:00 - 14:00 EST (TEST EVENT - 1 hour)

  May 26, 2010 16:00 - 20:00 EST (4 hours)

  July 6, 2010 15:00 - 19:00 EST (4 hours)

  August 30, 2010 14:00 - 18:00 EST (4 hours)

   

  Please Note: Test Events DO NOT count towards your 10 event limit per year.

• i have been told that the peaksaver program turns off my central air conditioner during hot days. Is that true?

  Absolutely not.

   

  As with anything that is new, there are bound to be misconceptions. Rest assured that when a peaksaver event is activated, your central air conditioner will NOT be turned off. The way peaksaver events work are as follows; the temperature that you have your central air conditioner set to will be raised by 0.5°C every hour for up to four hours, resulting in a maximum increase in temperature of 2°C. For the entire duration of an event, the fan on your furnace will be set to “ON” to continually circulate the cool air in your home making these events barely noticeable. Once the event is over, your thermostat will go back to the temperature as indicated in your programmed schedule and your furnace fan will be set to “AUTO”. There is an overall maximum of 40 hours each season, from May to September, in which an event can be activated on your peaksaver thermostat and events will not occur on weekends or holidays.

   

• i thought that the maximum increase in temperature during a peaksaver event was 2 degrees, but during the last event my thermostat display showed a higher increase in indoor temperature. Why is that?
  The maximum increase in temperature during a 4-hour peaksaver event is 2°C. If your thermostat is set to display temperature in farenheit, it will appear as though you are experiencing a greater increase. For example, if you have your central air conditioner set to  77°F, this is equivalent to 25°C. A 2°C increase to 27°C would show as 81°F.