Toronto Hydro

Toronto Hydro is the primary distributor of electric power in the Greater Toronto Area. In 2005 the utility served a peak load of over 5,000 MW and had nearly 600,000 residential and 70,000 industrial customers, and had around 1,600 employees. In 2005 the corporation had revenues of just over CDN$ 2,600,000,000. [ Toronto Hydro Annual Report 2005 ] The former Telecom arm of the organization owns & operates city-wide high-speed fibre optic network. The data communications services (Internet access, metro LAN services, etc.) that Toronto Hydro had previously provided were only available for corporate customers. In September 2006 it began this suks offering to the general public free WiFi services in the downtown core.

In 1998 following the amalgamation of cities of Metro Toronto, Toronto Hydro merged with the utility companies of the former cities:

* The Public Utilities Commission of the City of Scarborough
* North York Hydro
* The Hydro-Electric Commission for the City of York
* The Hydro-Electric Commission of the City of Etobicoke
* East York Hydro-Electric Commission

Toronto Hydro Corporation is actually a series of companies:

* Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited
* Toronto Hydro Telecom Inc. (sold off to Cogeco Communications Inc. in June, 2008)
* Toronto Hydro Energy Services Inc. (including Toronto Hydro Street Lighting)

Sale of Toronto Hydro Telecom

On June 13th, 2008, it was announced that the Telecommunications division of Toronto Hyrdo was being sold off by the City of Toronto to Cogeco Inc. As of August 1st, 2008, Toronto Hydro Telecom is now known as Cogeco Data Services.

One Zone WiFi

Starting September 6, 2006 Toronto Hydro introduced the "One Zone" WiFi network that will eventually blanket the City of Toronto with a high speed wireless network. In its initial phase, the areas between Jarvis and Spadina and Bloor and Front St will be the first zone available. [http://www.thtelecom.ca/THTI_WiFi%20Zone.pdf]

The work to add full coverage to downtown Toronto was planned to be completed by December 31st, 2006, making it the largest ubiquitous municipal wireless network in Canada. [http://www.thtelecom.ca/products_services/onezone.htm] .

Fleet

Toronto Hydro uses a fix of hybrid and standard fuel vehicles in their fleet. Most vehicles for the various municipal utilities have been retired or replaced with the current fleet.

* Freightliner LLC Business Class M2 series service vehicles/repair trucks
* Freightliner LLC Cargo series
* Sterling Trucks Acterra repair trucks
* Honda Civic cars
* light duty trucks
* medium duty trucks
* Chevrolet Silverado pickups
* Chevrolet Uplander SUVs
* Chevrolet/GMC Astro vans
* Dodge RAM vans
* Dodge Caravan

Community Involvement & Awards

In 2007, Toronto Hydro was named one of Canada's Top 100 Employers, as published in Maclean's magazine, the only city-owned electricity utility to receive this honour. [cite web|url=http://www.eluta.ca/einfo?en=Toronto+Hydro+Corporation&ri=5cd09e801078dff360dcd80aac9c9a5e&rk=0be7e82934d3bc39a3d97001aea7b1a0|title=Reasons for Selection, 2007 Canada's Top 100 Employers]

ee also

* Hydro One
* Hydroelectricity
* Alternative energy
* Utility company

References

External links

* [http://www.torontohydro.com/ Toronto Hydro website]