OTTAWA – A mix of freezing rain, snow and high winds resulted in widespread outages across our service territory since the morning. As of 3:30 pm today, Hydro Ottawa has restored power to over 100,000 customers since the start of the winter storm that has hit the Ottawa-Gatineau region.
Efforts to restore power have been non-stop, with crews and contractors now working to respond to several outages impacting approximately 4,200 customers.
With temperatures expected to drop this afternoon leading to a potential flash freeze for locations that have received rainfall, accompanied at times by strong winds and snow it could cause additional power outages and damage to our infrastructure. As such, we expect these numbers will continue to fluctuate throughout the day.
When power outages occur, Hydro Ottawa’s first priority is to respond to any unsafe conditions and then restore electrical service to our customers as quickly as possible.
Quick Facts:
Hydro Ottawa also relies on customers to help pinpoint the cause of an outage. Customers can report an outage by:
- Calling the 24/7 outage hotline at 613-738-0188;
- Submitting it online through their MyAccount customer portal; or
- Through the Hydro Ottawa mobile app.
To find out the current status of an outage, customers are advised to visit Hydro Ottawa’s website and Outage Map at www.hydroottawa.com/outages.
- The Outage Map is updated every fifteen minutes, and displays the most current information about ongoing outages impacting 10 or more customers.
- If outages occur, an estimated time of restoration will be determined for each outage once damage has been assessed by our crews.
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 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 our website.
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]