Banish PCBs – Now!

The federal government has introduced legislation to accelerate the removal and safe disposal of PCB wastes to meet Canada’s international obligations.  Will you be affected by the December 2009 deadline? You will be, if your business:

• Owns in-service equipment such as PCB (askarel) transformers and PCB Power Factor Correction.
• Owns transformers containing mineral oil bearing PCB concentrations higher than 500 ppm.
• Owns transformers that are greater than 50 ppm located at sensitive sites including hospitals or senior care facilities, drinking water treatment plants, food or feed processing plants and preschools, primary or secondary schools.

While extensions up to December 2014 may be granted on a case by case basis, the majority of owners will be required to meet the December 2009 deadline. As the deadline approaches, lead-in times for replacement equipment are increasing so advance planning is critical to address regulatory and access issues.

Regulatory issues

Before a replacement project can begin, you must obtain a Generator Number, register PCB waste as waste class 243-D solids and 243-D liquids, and submit a letter to your local ministry office requesting “Director’s Instructions” for greater than 50 litres of PCB liquid.

Substation access

This is probably the most significant factor affecting project costs.  In some cases, access at ground level allows for the unit to be removed quickly and intact, but others may require the use of cranes or platforms to access above or below grade equipment. For inaccessible substations, on site cut-down of the transformer may be required.

For assistance in planning your retrofit program or replacement of aging equipment, contact Dial One Wolfedale Electric today.

MORE Retrofit Rebate Options...

The Electricity Retrofit Incentive Program (ERIP) is designed to reward businesses that replace their lighting systems with more energy efficient options with a financial incentive to offset the cost.  And now, you can finance that retrofit and still take advantage of an ERIP rebate opportunity!  

After completing an ERIP-approved lighting installation, you can choose to receive the ERIP incentive directly or can redirect your utility bill savings to a third-party financing program to repay a project loan used to finance the retrofit. Because retrofits result in reduced energy consumption and costs, you can continue paying the same amount per energy bill as prior to the retrofit, with the cost savings being redirected to pay off the loan.  Once the project has been repaid through the hydro savings program, the monthly savings revert back to your business.

How long will it take to recover costs and benefit from energy savings? Estimates for the average industrial retrofit project, (for example, where a plant is full of metal halide or high pressure sodium high bay fixtures), are that payback is achievable in under 2 years through the third party financing option.

Natural Resources Canada is also in the retrofit incentive arena. Its ecoENERGY Retrofit program offers financial incentive of up to 25% of project costs to a maximum of $50,000 per application/$250,000 per company. Applications to the program are being accepted now, with the program expected to run until March 2012. 

Contact Dial One Wolfedale Electric for more information on how to get your subsidized retrofit project underway!

Let the Sun Shine

Dial One Wolfedale Electric continues to soak up the most current information about solar power generation technology, and ways to improve this electrical generating solution. We are developing partnerships with solar technology manufacturers that can offer a range of renewable energy technology to suit your needs. 

In March 2009, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) announced that it was proposing an increase in feed rates for those customers that produce power, through solar and wind technology, and send it back to the grid. The proposed new payable rate for solar energy would increase by nearly 50% under the new plan, making this an attractive option and generating a great deal of interest in the industry.

If you’d like to discuss solar or wind power generation options for your business, contact Brian Cook, Senior Account Manager, at 905-564-8999 ext. 224, or email bcook@dialonewolfedale.com.