Investing in Ottawa’s energy future: our energy roadmap
May 26, 2026
Ottawa’s energy landscape is evolving, with electricity playing a bigger role in our daily lives. Meeting this growing demand will take more than just new poles and wires. Our entire energy grid - and how we manage it - will need to adapt to support a more sustainable, resilient and reliable energy future.
Through investments in grid resilience, modernization, infrastructure renewal and innovation, Hydro Ottawa is preparing the city’s electricity system for the future. Here’s a closer look at four recent articles that explore how these investments are helping power Ottawa today and into the future:
1) Building a stronger grid through resilience
In Building stronger: Hydro Ottawa’s commitment to grid resilience, we explore how climate change and increasingly severe weather events are reshaping how utilities prepare for the future. From strengthening critical infrastructure to investing in smart grid technologies, the article outlines the many ways Hydro Ottawa is working to improve reliability and reduce outage impacts. It also highlights how resilience goes beyond restoration - it’s about anticipating risks, adapting to changing conditions, and building a grid that can recover faster when disruptions occur.
2) Replacing aging infrastructure before it fails
An inside look at how Hydro Ottawa replaces electricity infrastructure will take you behind the scenes of the planning and work required to maintain a safe and reliable electricity system. With thousands of poles, transformers, substations and underground assets across the city, infrastructure renewal is an ongoing effort. The article explains how Hydro Ottawa prioritizes replacements based on asset condition and risk, helping reduce unplanned outages and maintain service reliability as parts of the system continue to age. It’s a reminder that maintaining the grid is just as important as expanding it.
3) Preparing for rising electricity demand
In How we’re preparing for a surge in electricity demand, we look at the rapid growth of electrification and what it means for Ottawa’s energy future. As more residents adopt electric vehicles, heat pumps and other electric technologies, electricity demand is expected to rise significantly in the years ahead. The article highlights how Hydro Ottawa is investing in new substations, upgraded infrastructure, smart grid technologies and innovative energy solutions to ensure the grid can support a growing and increasingly electrified city. It also explores how customer participation and distributed energy resources, like solar and battery storage, will play an important role in managing future demand.
4) Modernizing the grid for a changing energy future
The power of participation: Why grid modernization is about more than just wires and poles focuses on how the electricity system itself is evolving. Modernization isn’t only about infrastructure - it’s also about creating a more connected, flexible and intelligent grid. The article explores how technologies like automation, advanced monitoring and real-time data can help improve outage response, increase system visibility and empower customers to better understand and manage their energy use. It also reinforces an important idea: building a sustainable energy future will require collaboration between utilities, businesses, residents and communities.
Investing in Ottawa’s future, together
Hydro Ottawa is taking action today to help ensure our electricity grid can support the needs of residents and businesses for decades to come. From strengthening resilience and replacing aging infrastructure to preparing for electrification and modernizing the grid, these investments are helping build a cleaner, smarter and more reliable energy future.
To learn more about Hydro Ottawa’s long-term investment priorities and how we’re preparing for the future of energy, visit our 2026-2030 investment plan page.