THUNDER BAY – As Hurricane Sandy came ashore, the storm started to lose its power. As the storm system starts to enter Canada it is far less powerful than it was over the ocean. That is not to suggest it is not still capable of causing serious damage. One of the concerns is to the power grid.
In New York conditions caused a transformer to explode, and through the United States the path left by Sandy has many homes and businesses without power.
“We are receiving regular updates from Hydro One and local distribution companies across Ontario. As of 6:30 this morning there are an estimated 800 storm related outages across the province affecting approximately 150, 000 customers. Early reports suggest that approximately 6.5 million customers are without power in the northeast U.S.
Southern Ontario experienced the most damage, with winds in excess of 100 kilometers per hour causing downed trees and power lines.
Hardest hit Ontario communities include:
• Toronto
• Waterloo
• Peterborough
• Owen Sound
• Sarnia
Trained crews of professionals are onsite across Ontario and working to restore power safely and as quickly as possible. We will provide updates on power restoration as soon as they become available.
Local power companies are the best source for up-to-date, local information for their customers. Customers may call the phone number located on their utility bill or check their local utility’s website.
Hydro One’s Grid Control Centre is monitoring the storm as it progresses. Hydro One is the direct power provider in many communities in Ontario and is well prepared to assist their own customers during storm events. Crews from areas of the province with no damage will travel to the hardest hit areas to support the effort to return electricity as quickly as possible to Hydro One customers. If assistance is required by local distribution companies, Hydro One will direct resources, on a priority basis.
