Hydro Ottawa hopes to restore electricity to “most” of Ottawa’s homes and businesses tonight, but warns it could be the end of the weekend before electricity returns to homes in the worst-hit areas. .
“We’re still ready for most of our customers to return tonight,” Hydro Ottawa’s chief operating officer Joseph Muglia told CTV Morning Live.
On Friday morning, 33,000 Hydro Ottawa customers remain without electricity in all neighborhoods of the city, almost a week after a devastating storm hit the capital with gusts of up to 190 km / h. Since the storm hit last Saturday afternoon, hydraulic equipment has restored electricity to 149,000 customers.
The company warns that there is “significant work” to be done in Parkwood Hills, a part of Anderson Road and Bells Corners that will slow down restoration efforts.
“For the most part, at the end of the day it’s what we propose most people are up to,” Muglia told the Newstalk 580 CFRA on Friday morning.
“I would say that in some of these most affected areas it could possibly be the end of the weekend, but we are still evaluating it,” Muglia said when asked about the worst-case scenario for restoring energy. “Things change all the time.”
Muglia does not expect the rain of today’s forecast to slow down restoration efforts.
“Our crews and all the extensive resources we have had to help us with this are more than capable of working in adverse weather conditions,” Muglia said. “The rain usually doesn’t stop us, it should be heavy rain and especially strong winds, but our people are trained.”
Teams in Toronto, Kingston, Cornwall and London have been working with Hydro Ottawa to repair the damage and restore electricity.
In a letter to the board on Thursday evening, Hydro Ottawa President and CEO Bryce Conrad said the “level of damage is greater than we anticipated,” which could slow down restoration efforts.
“Due to the level of damage and the imminent weather forecast (Friday), there may be some communities where we can’t meet that timeline,” Conrad wrote. “In addition, within the communities that are re-energizing, there will be some customer pockets that are still off, as a result of additional damage to this circuit, contact with trees or other debris.”
Hydro Ottawa says there is “significant work” in three specific neighborhoods: Parkwood Hills, part of Anderson Road and Bells Corners.
“We’re converging on some of these neighborhoods that need a little extra attention, extra resources just for the damage, for the sheer amount of shrubs and trees that were in the infrastructure,” Conrad said.
Coun. Keith Egli said he followed up with Hydro Ottawa to find out the damage in Parkwood Hills.
“Unfortunately, it means Parkwood Hills, General Burns and Fisher Heights. Communities will not have electricity today,” Egli said on Twitter.
Muglia called for customer patience as teams work to restore power.
“A lot of these areas we’re in now require a lot more focus, a lot more attention. Just because you don’t see trucks doesn’t mean things aren’t going in the background to get this job done.”
Conrad warns that there will still be neighborhood bags without electricity once “most of our electrical system” is energized.
“Most of our electricity system is the key phrase … think of it as our own road network. We will have the main roads open for food and we will have electricity in most, if not all, of our communities “. said Conrad.
“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 was able to power a “large number” of circuits on Thursday, according to Conrad. Areas include:
- Bel Air Heights
- Overbrook
- Richmond
- Parts of Alta Vista
- Colonnade and Prince of Wales (near Colonnade)
- Merivale Road (south of Hunt Club, north of Slack Road and west of Merivale)
Hydro Ottawa says electricity was restored in these neighborhoods overnight and this morning:
- Chapman Mills
- Gloucester Glen
- West Dunrobin
- Carlington
- Crestview
- Greenbelt – Mitch Owens / Leitrim C
- Canterbury – Urbanale and nearby places
- Shillington Ave.
- Carlingwood / McKeller Height
In Eastern Ontario, 12,263 Hydro One customers ran out of light Thursday evening.
Hydro Quebec says 7,988 customers are still without electricity in Outaouais.
SCHOOLS
Some Ottawa schools will be closed for a quarter of a day due to a lack of electricity in buildings.
The full list of schools is available here.
The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority recommends that parents, guardians and students check their school bus plans before going out the door.
CLEANING THE OTTAWA
The City of Ottawa says heavy equipment will be used in the four hardest hit areas to help with cleanup operations. The four most affected areas are Cumberland, Knoxdale-Merivale, River ward and Stittsville.
Director General of Public Works Alain Gonthier says clean-up operations “on a different scale” will be carried out in all four areas, especially in the Pineglen / Knoxdale-Merivale area.
“Just because of the level of damage this area has suffered,” Gonthier said.
The city says public works staff will focus on removing branches, trees and debris throughout the city.
PRICE OF THE STORM
The City of Ottawa and Hydro Ottawa say it’s too early to tell how much the storm will cost.
City Manager Steve Kanellakos says the city is tracking all costs, but it’s “too early” to capture all the overtime costs of city staff, police and emergency crews.
Mayor Jim Watson said earlier this week that Prime Minister Doug Ford promised the city that the Ontario government will cover the cost of the storm.
ORGANIC WASTE
The City of Ottawa says the bins will remain in place for organic-only waste at 15 locations until Saturday.
The locations are:
- CARDELREC Goulbourn recreational complex at 1500 Shea Rd.
- Navan Memorial Center at 1295 Colonial Rd.
- Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Center at 3320 Paul Anka Dr.
- Howard Darwin Centennial Arena at 1765 Merivale Rd.
- Minto Recreation Complex at 3500 Cambrian Rd.
- Walter Baker Sports Center at 100 Malvern Dr.
- Osgoode Community Center at 5660 Osgoode Main St.
- Library of Orleans at 1705 Orleans Blvd.
- Lincoln Heights car park near Richmond Road and Croydon Ave.
- Dr. Greely Community Center at 1448 Meadow
- North Gower Customer Service Center at 2155 Roger Stevens Dr.
- Richmond Arena at 6095 Perth St.
- Constance Bay Community Center at 262 Len Purcell Dr.
- Sawmill Creek Community Center at 3350 D’aoust Ave.
- Diamond Jubilee Park at 4008 Kelly Farm Dr.
The blitz of green bins will also end on Saturday.
The City Council estimates that 33 tonnes of organic waste have been collected during the “blitz” of green bins in neighborhoods this week.