PowerStream Reports 7.8 % Less Electricity Used During Earth Hour 2012

YORK REGION and SIMCOE COUNTY, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 31, 2012) - Earth Hour 2012 saw thousands of PowerStream customers, in the nine municipalities served by the electric utility, indicate their willingness to help fight climate change by turning off their lights for 60 minutes to reduce electricity consumption.

PowerStream's System Control Centre reported a service territory-wide 7.8 percent electricity consumption reduction between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday*. This was a decrease from the 8.9 percent reduction achieved collectively last year by customers in PowerStream's service territory during Earth Hour 2011.

The 2012 results represented a total savings of 74.5 megawatts (MW) in peak demand, or enough electricity to power 2,256 average-size homes over a 24-hour period. The reductions achieved per municipality in 2012 were as follows:

* (in comparison to a typical consumption pattern normally experienced on a similar type of day, taking into consideration hour of the day, time of year and weather).

PowerStream reports 7.8 % less electricity used during Earth Hour 2012

PowerStream also supported Earth Hour 2012 in several other ways. In addition to powering down the lights at its three work locations in Barrie, Markham and Vaughan, the company also was the presenting sponsor of the Barrie Earth Hour Music Festival and provided sponsorship support to Earth Hour Vaughan's Annual Lantern Walk and the Town of Markham Earth Hour activities at the Markham Museum.

"Earth Hour is a symbolic event for residents to show their support to help fight climate change and shed light on how we can all make a difference by reducing our electricity consumption," said Frank Scarpitti, PowerStream Board Chair and Town of Markham Mayor. "We are pleased with our customers' response as participants in this global event."

About PowerStream

PowerStream is the second largest municipally-owned electricity distribution company in Ontario, providing service to more than 335,000 customers residing or owning a business in communities located immediately north of Toronto and in Central Ontario. The communities served include Alliston, Aurora, Barrie, Beeton, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Markham, Penetanguishene, Richmond Hill, Thornton, Tottenham and Vaughan. PowerStream is an incorporated entity, jointly owned by the City of Barrie, the City of Vaughan and the Town of Markham.