Global Adjustment (GA) explained in plain language

GA is one of the most misunderstood parts of Ontario electricity bills — but it doesn’t have to be.

Plain-language summary: Global Adjustment pays for system‑wide electricity costs such as contracts, conservation programs, and capacity payments. It does not track your personal usage in a simple way.

What Global Adjustment actually is

Global Adjustment (GA) is a system‑wide cost recovery mechanism. It helps pay for:

Long‑term electricity supply contracts
Conservation and demand‑management programs
Capacity payments to ensure reliability
Some renewable energy contracts
Costs of maintaining adequate generation reserves

These are costs that benefit the entire province, not just individual households. Because of that, GA does not behave like a simple “per‑kWh” charge.

Why GA exists

Ontario’s electricity system must ensure enough supply is available at all times — even during extreme weather or unexpected outages. GA helps fund the contracts and programs that make this possible.

How GA behaves on your bill

GA can rise or fall even when your usage stays the same. This is because GA reflects:

System‑wide cost changes
Contract adjustments
Market price fluctuations
Seasonal demand patterns

GA is included in both TOU and Tiered pricing. You don’t see it as a separate line item unless you are a Class B customer billed under certain structures.

Common misconceptions

“GA is a penalty.” It isn’t. It’s system cost recovery.
“GA should fall when I use less.” GA does not track your personal usage directly.
“GA means something is wrong with my bill.” GA changes are normal and expected.

Why GA sometimes feels unpredictable

Because GA reflects system‑wide costs, it can move in ways that don’t match your personal usage patterns. This is why two months with similar kWh can still produce different totals.

Putting it all together

Global Adjustment is a normal part of Ontario electricity billing. It pays for province‑wide programs and contracts that keep the system reliable. While GA can be confusing at first, understanding its purpose makes the bill far easier to interpret.