OTTAWA – Restoration efforts continued overnight as wind and snow picked up. As of 9 a.m. today, Hydro Ottawa crews and additional contractors are now responding to 6 outages (impacting 10 or more customers) and 20 smaller outages, impacting approximately 270 customers across the city. However, the situation continues to remain fluid due to the windy weather conditions.
Hydro Ottawa teams’ focus for the day will be on targeting the remaining small isolated outages. This part of the restoration is sometimes complex as a result of remaining debris, fallen trees and branches into backyards, and/or damage to customer-owned equipment.
Since the start of the storm, Hydro Ottawa crews, with the help of several contractors, have been able to restore power to over 118,900 customers.
As we are now into the Christmas holiday weekend, Hydro Ottawa thanks residents for their patience and understanding as they continue to work round the clock while keeping crews safe so they can return home to their families at the end of the day.
Safety tips:
- Residents should respect work site perimetres by keeping a safe distance from crews as they work on energizing the power grid.
- If customers notice fallen power lines, they should stay a good distance away - at least 10 meters (33 feet).
- Customers should not attempt to clear away any trees or branches that may be touching a power line. It is recommended that customers call 911 immediately, then Hydro Ottawa.
- If you are still without power and using a portable fuel-powered generator, this is an important reminder to always use safe practices. Under no circumstances should you ever have a generator in an enclosed space, close to a window, or in your garage. For more information on generator use and safety tips, visit their website.
- If your neighbourhood has power but you don’t, it’s possible your home’s electrical system may have sustained serious damage from the storm. Hydro Ottawa may not be able to reconnect your power until a licensed electrical contractor has assessed the situation and made all necessary repairs. Find out what steps you need to take.
Hydro Ottawa will continue to keep customers and the public advised of the situation via the news media, our website and on our social channels.
Media Contact
Dan Seguin
Director, Communications and Public Affairs
Hydro Ottawa
[email protected]