{{Short description|Electricity distribution company in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada}} {{Hatnote|For the basketball team formerly known as Oshawa Power, see Mississauga Power.}} {{Infobox company | name = Oshawa Power | type = Municipal | industry = Electricity distribution | founded = 1887 | headquarters = Oshawa, Ontario, Canada | area_served = Oshawa, Ontario | products = MyOshawaPower (digital portal) | services = Electricity distribution | website = {{URL|oshawapower.ca}} }}

'''Oshawa PUC Networks Inc.''', operating as '''Oshawa Power''', is a licensed electricity distribution company based in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.<ref name="Ontario-Energy-Board-List">{{Cite web |title=List of licensed companies {{!}} Ontario Energy Board |url=https://www.oeb.ca/ontarios-energy-sector/list-licensed-companies |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Ontario Energy Board }}</ref> It is part of the Oshawa Power Group of Companies. Oshawa Power is wholly owned by the City of Oshawa and serves over 63,000 residential and commercial customers across approximately 145 square kilometres.<ref name="Hendry-2024">{{Cite news |title=Oshawa Power moving out of downtown and into new digs at Thornton Business Park|first= Glenn |last=Hendry|date= 2024-09-10 |url=https://durham.insauga.com/oshawa-power-moving-out-of-downtown-and-into-new-digs-at-thornton-business-park/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241107215031/https://durham.insauga.com/oshawa-power-moving-out-of-downtown-and-into-new-digs-at-thornton-business-park/ |archive-date=2024-11-07 |access-date=2026-01-24 |work=INdurham {{!}} Durham's Latest Breaking News |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Ontario-Energy-Board-Scorecard">{{Cite web |title=Scorecard - Oshawa PUC Networks Inc. (2024) |url=https://www.oeb.ca/documents/scorecard/2024/Scorecard%20-%20Oshawa%20PUC%20Networks%20Inc..pdf|website=Ontario Energy Board}}</ref>

== History == Oshawa Power has been providing electricity to the Oshawa region for nearly 140 years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=oshawaexpress |date=2017-10-11 |title=130 years of power in Oshawa |url=http://oshawaexpress.ca/130-years-of-power-in-oshawa/ |access-date=2026-01-25 |website=The Oshawa Express |language=en-CA}}</ref> Electricity service in Oshawa began on September 12, 1887, when the Oshawa Electric Light Company introduced arc lighting to the city. The original company was operated in conjunction with the flour mill. Power was sourced from steam and augmented by a water power plant powered by a dam in the Oshawa Creek. In 1916, Oshawa Electric Light Co. was purchased by the Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario. In 1929, a bylaw was passed by the Oshawa City Council to purchase the electrical system for $310,000 and the gas distribution system for $210,000.<ref name="Oshawa-Power-History">{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.oshawapower.ca/timeline/ |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Oshawa Power |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=PUC Building – Discover Historic Oshawa |url=https://discoverhistoricoshawa.com/listings/puc-building/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251008042407/https://discoverhistoricoshawa.com/listings/puc-building/ |archive-date=2025-10-08 |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=discoverhistoricoshawa.com |language=en-CA |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Heritage-Research-Report">{{Cite web |title=Heritage Research Report - Oshawa |url=https://www.oshawa.ca/media/auzmrqas/heritage-research-rpt_simcoe-st-s-100.pdf}}</ref>

It has remained municipally owned and focused on local distribution. Its formal branding as Oshawa Power is part of the Oshawa Power Group of Companies, a diversified holding company comprising Oshawa Power; EnerFORGE, a province-wide independent power producer; and Durham Broadband, a regional high-speed internet service for the Durham region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://durham.insauga.com/wind-turbine-specialist-partnering-with-oshawa-power-to-bring-low-carbon-technology-to-canada/|title=Wind turbine specialist partnering with Oshawa Power to bring low carbon technology to Canada}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TD helping clients with financing for green energy projects |url=https://stories.td.com/ca/en/article/waste-to-energy-toronto-zoo |access-date=2026-01-25 |website=stories.td.com |language=en-CA}}</ref>

In 2022, Oshawa Power partnered with Peak Power, a Canadian climate tech company, to develop cost-effective means of reducing emissions and improving the reliability of the electricity system.<ref name="Peak-Power-2022">{{Cite press release |last=Power |first=Peak |date=2022-03-30 |title=Peak Power Partners with Oshawa Power to Demonstrate a Path to Distributed Clean Energy for Utilities |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/03/30/2413066/0/en/Peak-Power-Partners-with-Oshawa-Power-to-Demonstrate-a-Path-to-Distributed-Clean-Energy-for-Utilities.html |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=GlobeNewswire News Room |language=en-us}}</ref>

== Products and services == Oshawa Power distributes electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Oshawa. In 2020, the utility began offering a digital customer portal, MyOshawaPower, for billing and usage tracking.

The utility announced a partnership in 2024 with Lakefront Utilities to provide shared leadership and operational coordination in the towns of Cobourg and Colborne.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oshawa Power and Lakefront Utilities Announce New Partnership {{!}} Lakefront Utilities |url=https://www.lakefrontutilities.com/2024/10/29/oshawa-power-and-lakefront-utilities-announce-new-partnership/ |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Lakefront Utilities}}</ref>

== Facilities == Since November 18, 1931, Oshawa Power has operated from its headquarters on 100 Simcoe Street South. The building was designated a Heritage Building by the City of Oshawa in 2020. The L-shaped building was designed by Oshawa-born architect C.C. Stenhouse in an Art Deco style and was the first modern building in Oshawa designed for civic service.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Designation of 100 Simcoe Street South, Oshawa, Ontario under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act |url=https://www.heritagetrust.on.ca/oha/details/file?id=12836|website=Ontario Heritage Trust }}</ref>

In 2025, Oshawa Power announced plans to relocate its operations to a new consolidated facility in Thornton Business Park. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with completion anticipated in 2027. The complex will include over 30,000 square feet of office space, an equipment storage yard, a warehouse, and vehicle garage.<ref name="Hendry-2024" />

== Leadership == Oshawa Power is governed by a board appointed by the City of Oshawa. Executive leadership operates under the broader Oshawa Power and Utilities Corporation structure. The current CEO is Daniel Arbour.<ref name="cancer-research">{{Cite news |title=Oshawa Power raises $20,000 for cancer support centre |url=https://www.insauga.com/oshawa-power-raises-20000-for-cancer-support-centre/ |first=Glenn |last=Hendry|date=July 2, 2025 |work=INdurham {{!}} Durham's Latest Breaking News |language=en|url-status=live }}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == *{{Official website|https://www.oshawapower.ca/}} {{Authority control}}

Category:1887 establishments in Ontario Category:Companies based in Oshawa Category:Electric power companies of Ontario Category:Municipal electric utilities of Canada