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At times when the bulk electricity grid is strained, the IESO may issue a public appeal calling on consumers to cut back on their power consumption. Public appeals are infrequent. In the past, they have typically been issued during heat waves, extreme weather events and unexpected transmission or generation outages.

Consumers can be among the first to learn about a public appeal by following the IESO on social media: https://twitter.com/IESO_Tweets.

Responding to Public Appeals

Periodically, consumers will be asked to help ease pressure on the system by temporarily reducing their consumption. This will occur when the IESO issues a public appeal.

Here are some consumer actions that can help system reliability in times of tight supply:

• Turning off all but essential internal and external lights.
• Limiting the use of major power-consuming equipment such as dishwashers, washers and dryers and swimming pool pumps.

In Summer:

• Setting air conditioners to 26 degrees Celsius or higher (or use fans as an alternative).
• Closing curtains and blinds to keep out the sun and retain cooler air inside.

In Winter:

• Keeping windows and blinds open during the day to allow solar energy into your home.
• Lowering the thermostats on furnaces, baseboard heaters and space heaters, especially during peak hours (7am-11am and 5pm-7pm in winter).