TORONTO, Ontario, January 23, 2008 - The Great Refrigerator Roundup, a free province-wide program to remove old, inefficient appliances, has surpassed the 50,000-unit milestone.

The program is a partnership effort by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) and 75 local electricity distribution companies (LDCs) across Ontario. The appliance retirement program saved an estimated 11 megawatts in its first seven months to the end of 2007, creating a sound footing for the 2008 campaign.

Some key facts about one of the largest programs of its type in North America:

• Started in June 2007, the program comfortably exceeded its first-year goal of 47,500 units. 
• For every 10 - 12 fridges removed, one typical Ontario home is effectively removed from the grid forever. 
• More than 95 percent of the material from each unit collected is sent to be recycled and the appliance is permanently decommissioned.
• Over 90 percent of the participants in the program told an independent survey that they approved of the program and would participate in other conservation programs. 
• Refrigerator, freezer and window air conditioning technologies have dramatically improved over the past 20 years. A typical fridge built in1986 uses 1,500 kWh, costing $180 per year, while a new ENERGY STAR® rated fridge will use approximately one-third of the electricity. 
• The program is one of 18 conservation programs offered by the OPA; the organization expects to have 27 programs running in 2008 to help Ontario to save 1,350 MW by 2010 and 6,300 MW by 2025.

“Virtually all residential customers had access to the program and their rating of it was overwhelmingly positive, says OPA Vice President Conservation Programs and Sector Development Paul Shervill. “Much of the credit belongs to the participating LDCs, which have ensured we are well-positioned to save more electricity in 2008.”

“I’ve called on everyone to think, believe and act when it comes to conservation,” says Ontario’s Chief Energy Conservation Officer Peter Love. “The Great Refrigerator Roundup shows Ontarians are prepared to act when given an effective opportunity to conserve electricity.”

"The Great Refrigerator Roundup is a tremendous example of what can be achieved when we work together," said Energy Minister Gerry Phillips. "These kinds of programs remove barriers, encourage people to take part, and can add up to real megawatts of conservation."

Old, inefficient appliances consume two or three times the amount of electricity of newer models, adding strain to Ontario’s power system. All reusable metal and plastic from the retrieved units is recycled, with the bare minimum remaining going to landfill.

Chemicals that are significant atmospheric pollutants and responsible for ozone depletion and global warming, are destroyed in accordance with all government standards and regulations.

Ontario’s increasing demand for electricity can and must be met more wisely to save money and reduce the impact on the environment. That is why conservation is the cornerstone of the Integrated Power System Plan (IPSP) that the OPA submitted for review by the Ontario Energy Board in August. The IPSP proposes that the province spend $10 billion on conservation to the year 2025.

Ontarians interested in participating in the Great Refrigerator Roundup can get complete details from the OPA’s Every Kilowatt Counts (EKC) website: www.everykilowattcounts.ca.  Appointments for appliance pick-ups can be made either online or toll-free at 1-877-797-9473.

The EKC website also describes a variety of other conservation programs offered by the OPA that are available to consumers and businesses.

The Great Refrigerator Roundup reflects the OPA’s strategy of working with other partners, to achieve cost-effective conservation results for Ontario electricity ratepayers. In addition to partnering with LDCs, the OPA has also retained the Green Group for overall project management of the program and ARCA Canada Inc. for decommissioning of the appliances and The FSA Group for call centre services.