PSA: Hydro Ottawa prepares for possible outages ahead of severe thunderstorms set to hit the National Capital Region today

May 27, 2024

 

 

OTTAWA – Hydro Ottawa teams are making preparations to respond to possible power outages after Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a Special Weather Statement for the Ottawa region today. 

Heavy rain, thunderstorms and the potential for tornadoes are forecast this afternoon and evening. With wind gusts of 90 km/hr, power outages and tree damage may be possible.

As a precaution, Hydro Ottawa is monitoring the weather, and has crews on stand-by, ready to respond if necessary. If outages occur, residents are advised to visit our Outage Map, which is updated every 15 minutes as new information comes in from our crews in the field. Estimated restoration times will be determined for each outage once damage has been assessed.

Hydro Ottawa customers can report a power outage by:

Hydro Ottawa also reminds all customers of the importance of staying safe and being prepared in the event of a prolonged outage. Customers can learn more about what to do on our Outage Safety and Emergency Preparedness pages.

Safety tips

  • Hydro Ottawa asks the public to respect work site perimetres by keeping a safe distance from crews and as they work on energizing the power grid. 
  • If customers notice downed power lines, stay at least 10 metres away (the length of a school bus) from the wires and from any objects that are in contact with the lines such as trees. If there is a downed power line, dial 911, then please call us at 613 738-0188.
  • Drive carefully. When traffic signals are out, always treat intersections as all-way stops and proceed through intersections with caution.
  • As power is being restored, Hydro Ottawa reminds residents to conserve their use of energy and avoid turning on all electronics and appliances to avoid impacting the electricity supply.
  • Please reserve the use of 911 to situations where there is a risk to public safety, and life-threatening emergencies. 

 

Media Contact

Susan Fekete
Manager, Media and Public Affairs
Hydro Ottawa

[email protected] 

613-738-5499, ext. 2345

 

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