Just in time for the coming Ontario winter – electricity rates are going up – starting November 1st.

The Ontario Energy Board says the peak price for power between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m – is rising by 1.4 cents – going to 17.5 cents a kilowatt hour.

The mid-peak price from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. will rise by 0.6 cents – to 12.8 cents a kw/h.

And off-peak from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. – and all day weekends and holidays – edges up 0.3 cents to 8.3 cents a kwh – which is less than half the on-peak price.

The energy board says the increases will add about $4.42 to the average monthly electricity bill – for a household that uses about 800 kwh a month.

It says about 40 per cent of the uppage is because of increased costs from Ontario Power Generation’s nuclear and hydro-electric generating stations.

The board sets electricity prices every May and December – and changes hours for peak and off-peak pricing – to reflect the shorter daylight periods in winter.