Hydro Ottawa president expects “most” of the power grid to recover on Friday night, but warns that some homes will not have electricity immediately due to significant property damage.
Five days after a devastating storm hit Ottawa with gusts of 190 km / h, 37,000 homes and businesses remain without electricity. As of Thursday evening, 143,000 customers had had their electricity restored.
“The crews continue to work throughout the day and our sincere hope is that, weather permitting, we will have most of our electrical system up and running tomorrow night,” said Hydro Ottawa President and CEO Bryce Conrad , Thursday afternoon.
“Most of our electricity system is the key phrase … think of it as our own road network. We will have the big roads open for food and we will have electricity in most, if not all, of the our communities.
“But we will have dead-end roads and streets here and there where electricity is disrupted due to trees or damage to drivers or other debris.”
Hydro Ottawa says it hopes to energize all or part of the following communities on Thursday:
- Bel Air Heights in the Iris area
- The Overbrook area
- Richmond people
- High view
- Colonnade area
- Merivale Road south of Hunt Club Road and north of Slack Road
Conrad admits that Hydro Ottawa expects to find “a significant number of homes” that have been damaged by electrical equipment, which will need to be repaired before a home can be re-powered.
Immediately after last Saturday’s storm, approximately 180,000 Hydro Ottawa customers had lost electricity. Since then, teams in Toronto, Kingston, Cornwall and London have worked with Hydro Ottawa to repair the damage and restore power.
“I basically think there’s a lack of appreciation for how devastating this storm was. From Windsor to Toronto and Peterborough and Ottawa to Quebec, this storm didn’t look like anything any of us have seen. or faced before, “Conrad said.
“This was not a typical ice or wind storm that knocked down a few poles and where between 15,000 and 20,000 people lost energy for a few hours. This is a drawback in the grand scheme of things.”
Conrad says more than 300 hydraulic poles have been replaced and that cleaning will continue for weeks.
“The damage to our distribution system is simply incomparable. At first, I said it was worse than the 2018 tornadoes and the 98 ice storm,” Conrad said. “What I can say now is that it’s four to five times worse than tornadoes.”
TIME COULD HINDER EFFORTS
Hydro Ottawa says Thursday morning’s rain did not slow down repair operations throughout Ottawa on Thursday.
“The crews have been working hard. We’ve obviously controlled it from a safety standpoint,” Conrad said, adding that 40km / h winds are still within “safe operations.” “.
With more rain in the forecast for Friday and weekend, Conrad said crews will be on the lookout for possible rain and heavy winds.
“If that happens, we’ll take care of it.”
Environment Canada’s weather forecast calls for a 60 percent chance of rain on Thursday and a 70 percent chance of rain on Friday.
HYDRO ONE
Hydro One warns that residents in the Bancroft, Perth and Tweed areas may be without electricity “for a few days” while repairs continue.
As of Thursday morning, 18,000 Hydro One customers in eastern Ontario were without electricity.
Hydro One told customers the damage included more than 1,800 broken poles and about 200 damaged transformers.
HYDRO QUEBEC
Less than 9,000 customers are still without electricity in Gatineau and western Quebec.
Hydro Quebec continues its efforts to restore electricity to Outaouais customers after last Thursday’s storm.
CLEANING CONTINUES FOR OTTAWA
The City of Ottawa says forecast rain will not slow cleanliness through the storm.
Six hundred public works employees continue to focus on cleaning up debris and collecting green containers and trash throughout the city.
“I can assure you that our crews, in terms of Public Works and our partners, will continue to be out there, continuing to focus on restoring the transportation system, completing our food waste collection and also the massive effort. which is being carried out right now, in terms of the collection of all the rubble, ”said Alain Gonthier, Director General of Public Works.
The teams have collected 33 tons of organic waste through the “Green Bin Blitz” that the city launched to collect food waste.
Special containers installed in 15 locations in the city to dispose of organic waste will remain installed until Saturday.
OTTAWA TRAFFIC NETWORK
Fifty-four intersections remain without electricity 120 hours after the storm hit Ottawa.
“We’re making great progress,” Gonthier said of restoring traffic signs, adding that most of the intersections still without electricity are along Merivale Road.
Half of intersections out of service due to power outages run on generators during rush hour.
EMERGENCY RECEPTION CENTERS
The City of Ottawa says emergency reception centers will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The following facilities provide power to charge appliances, showers, toilets, food, and the Red Cross:
The following facilities provide power to charge appliances, showers and toilets:
- Plant Recreation Center, 930 Somerset Street West (Wifi available)
- Richmond Arena, at 6095 Perth St. (Wifi available)
- François Dupuis Recreation Center, 2263 Portobello Blvd. (Wifi available)
- JA Dulude Arena, 941 Clyde Ave. (Wifi available)
- Bernard-Grandmaître Arena, at 309 McArthur Rd. (Wifi available)
- Navan Memorial Center, at 1295 Colonial Rd.
- Walter Baker Sports Center, at 100 Malvern Dr. (Wifi available)
- W. Erskine Johnston Arena, at 3832 Carp Rd.
- Jim Durrell Recreation Center, 1265 Walkley Rd. (Wifi available)
- Canterbury Recreation Complex, 2185 Arch St.
- Kanata Leisure Center at 70 Aird Place
- RJ Kennedy Arena at 1115 Dunning Rd.
The following installation provides power to charge appliances and toilets:
WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR RESULTS?
The City of Ottawa offers tips for disposing of your waste while cleaning continues from Saturday’s storm.
You can dispose of your household waste as part of your regular rubbish collection and recycling.
Organic waste can be deposited in the green bin, which is collected weekly. The city of Ottawa is conducting a “green container bombing” in the worst-hit neighborhoods to ensure that organic waste is collected as soon as possible. Visit ottawa.ca for more information.
HERE’S WHAT TO DO WITH STORM-RELATED WASTE
The City Council is asking residents to separate storm-related debris from any tree or branch when you put it on the sidewalk.
The city’s landfill at the Trail to Trail Road waste facility offers extended hours to accommodate special collections and will waive tip fees for residents with storm-related materials.
Trunks, large tree branches and pressure-treated wood can be placed on the curb for collection.
“Please separate brush-cut tree trunks or branches from storm-related non-organic waste,” the city recommends.