Locates and safe digging
What you need to know about locates
If you plan to excavate near our electrical infrastructure, you first need to get what’s called a “locate.” A locate identifies and marks the position of underground utilities — including power lines — so you can work safely and avoid dangerous, costly damage.
Submit a locate request
Submit a request to excavate
Contact us
Requesting a locate is free and required by law under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Why locates matter
Working around underground electrical cables demands careful planning. Striking a buried power line can cause:
Serious injury or death
Widespread power outages
Expensive repairs and project delays
A locate ensures you know where utilities are before you dig — helping to protect your crew, our infrastructure, and the community.
How to request a locate
Submit your request at OntarioOneCall.ca at least five business days before you plan to dig. (Ten business days for multi-address requests)
Ontario One Call will coordinate with Hydro Ottawa and other utilities to mark the location of buried lines at your site.
You’ll receive colour-coded markings on the ground that correspond to different types of utilities.
Respect the markings
Once utilities are marked:
Wait until all locates are complete before starting work.
Stay at least 1.5 metres away from marked Hydro Ottawa cables.
Dig with care: use hand-digging or hydrovac methods when working near buried lines.
Maintain markings: stop work and request a re-locate if they become unclear or expire.
If you receive a “Do Not Proceed” notice
In some cases, Hydro Ottawa may place a Do Not Proceed sticker or notify you that extra steps are required. This means your work is close to high-voltage cables and cannot continue until we’ve reviewed your plans.
Buried high voltages cables located within the area. You must send Locate through hydroottawa.com/locates
If you have questions about the online form, please call 613-738-6400. For urgent matters involving power outages and after hours emergencies, call 613-738-6404
If this happens:
Complete a Request to Excavate form with:
- Your contact information
- Locate ticket number
- Exact worksite address
- Description of planned excavation
Submit the form to Hydro Ottawa's Damage Prevention team. ([email protected])
We’ll contact you within 48 business hours to review and advise on next steps.
Digging done right
We’re committed to keeping our community safe and our electrical grid reliable. Following safe digging practices protects your crew, our infrastructure, and the people who depend on it.
Safe digging practices:
- Always assume buried cables are live.
- Use hand-digging or hydrovac methods near marked lines.
- Keep people, tools, and machinery clear of marked cables.
- Maintain locate markings and stop work if they become unclear or expire.
If you uncover an unmarked cable, stop immediately and contact Ontario One Call and Hydro Ottawa.