What FFPC does and how the Ontario market is set up
Ontario's electricity market is unbundled: a regulated distributor owns the wires, the IESO operates the bulk grid, and the OEB sets the prices. Fort Frances Power Corporation (FFPC) is the distributor for the Town of Fort Frances, owning the poles, transformers and meters inside the town. It is also the default supplier under Ontario's Standard Supply Service rules, so one FFPC bill covers both jobs.
The per-kWh rate FFPC charges most residential and small-business customers is set by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) twice a year in the Regulated Price Plan (RPP), with three structures: Time-of-Use, Tiered or Ultra-Low Overnight. Long-term fixed-rate retailer contracts only replace the commodity portion of the bill; the wires and delivery charges stay with FFPC.
Where FFPC delivers power
FFPC's territory is a single municipality: the Town of Fort Frances, in the Rainy River District of north-western Ontario, roughly 300 km west of Thunder Bay on the U.S. border opposite International Falls, Minnesota.
Outside the town boundary, rural Rainy River District addresses are typically served by Hydro One Networks. Check your most recent electricity bill: the distributor's name and OEB licence number are printed at the top of the first page.
How FFPC's charges appear on your bill
An Ontario electricity bill is broken into a handful of distinct line items, all of which appear on the same FFPC invoice: the OEB commodity rate (RPP), the delivery charge for FFPC's wires, regulatory charges, the Ontario Electricity Rebate, and HST. Switching to a licensed retailer changes the commodity portion only; delivery, regulatory and HST stay the same.
Peak (4-7 p.m.), mid-peak, off-peak. Best for households that can shift heavy use to evenings and weekends.
A low block for the first ~600 kWh per month (residential), a higher block above. Best for steady, modest users.
Very cheap from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., much more expensive 4-9 p.m. Best for EV owners.
Contact details
FFPC operates a business-hours customer service line and a separate after-hours trouble line.
Outages and downed wires outside business hours. For a downed live wire, call 911 first.
Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
320 Portage Avenue
Fort Frances, ON P9A 3P9
Report a power outage
During business hours, call 807-274-9291. After hours, call the trouble line at 807-274-9516. For multi-customer outages, FFPC's operations crew responds locally; for storm events or transmission-level faults, restoration can depend on Hydro One Networks, which owns the high-voltage feeders reaching Fort Frances.
Reliability in plain numbers (2024 OEB scorecard)
FFPC issued 44,842 bills with 99.44 % accuracy in 2024, met 100 % of 68 scheduled appointments on time, and connected 100 % of 19 eligible new low-voltage customers within the OEB's 5-business-day timeline — a track record consistent with the last five years. The full scorecard PDF is on the OEB website.
New connection or service upgrade
For a new build, a service upgrade (e.g. 100 A to 200 A for an EV charger or heat pump), a temporary construction service, or any change to the wires or meter, you deal with FFPC. Call 807-274-9291 during business hours. Your electrician will pull an ESA permit for the in-house wiring; FFPC cannot energise until ESA clears it. The OEB standard is 5 business days for new low-voltage residential and small-business connections.
Moving home, transferring or closing a service
Move-in / move-out conversations start with FFPC directly, because FFPC is the default supplier. Call 807-274-9291 during business hours. Allow at least 1 to 2 business days of notice; 5 is safer for end-of-month moves. FFPC closes the old billing account, opens the new one and triggers the final meter read.
Meters, meter reading and accuracy
FFPC owns the meter at your address. The province-wide smart-meter rollout was completed in 2010-2011, so virtually every residential and small-business address in Fort Frances is equipped with a smart meter supporting the OEB's Time-of-Use, Tiered or Ultra-Low Overnight pricing.
If you suspect a fault, you can request an accuracy test. If the meter reads outside Measurement Canada's tolerance (typically ±2 %), the test is free and you get a billing adjustment back to the presumed start of the fault; if it passes, the test fee is charged to you at the OEB-approved tariff rate.
What do you need to do with Fort Frances Power?
Pick an action. The tool shows the right phone, the right link, and what to expect. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Note: under AUC Rule 002, Alberta distributors are not required to pay automatic compensation for outages. Damage claims are evaluated case-by-case on negligence.
Compensation and damage claims
Ontario has no automatic, statutory compensation scheme for individual customers affected by a power outage. The OEB's role is to require FFPC to report its reliability performance every year in its public scorecard. Penalties for under-performance flow from the regulator to the distributor; they do not arrive in your mailbox as a credit.
You can file a damage claim with FFPC for spoiled food or surge damage, but claims are evaluated on negligence and routinely denied for weather, wildlife or third-party-contact outages. Home insurance is usually the faster path; keep dated receipts and photos either way.
Regulator and complaint escalation
If you can't resolve something directly with FFPC, the Ontario Energy Board sits at the top of the escalation ladder. The Electrical Safety Authority covers physical-safety issues under Ontario Regulation 22/04.
- Talk to FFPC customer service at 807-274-9291.
- Ask for a formal written response if the front line can't fix it.
- File a complaint with the OEB Consumer Protection Office (free).
- Last resort: OEB formal hearing or civil court for denied damage claims.