Hydro Ottawa says electricity has been restored to Ottawa’s “bulk power grid” after nine days of work to repair water infrastructure damage after a powerful storm.
Now, teams are focusing on “smaller bags” of disruptions where tree contacts, equipment damage and other interference are responsible for leaving 9,000 homes and businesses still unconnected to the network.
As of 8pm on Sunday, 9,000 customers across the city were without electricity after the storm that hit Ottawa with gusts of 190km / h on May 21st. Hydro Ottawa says that since the storm, approximately 94 percent of the 100,000 customers affected by the storm. the storm has regained its power.
In a note to the board, Hydro Ottawa President and CEO Bryce Conrad said the priority has been to restore the “bulk power grid” with a goal of flowing energy to each and every circuit in our territories “.
“Early today, we were able to complete this task,” Conrad said.
“To be clear, there are still 9,000 customers who are not connected to the network, due to various tree contacts, equipment damage or other interference. With the bulk network operational, our crews will now be directed to these little bags of interruptions. “
Hydro teams from Toronto, Kingston, London and New Brunswick have been helping Hydro Ottawa teams. Conrad said 50 more contractors joined the effort on Sunday and more are expected to arrive on Monday.
“I fully appreciate the level of frustration and anger that many of you are dealing with and will continue to deal with until the restoration is complete,” Conrad said. “All of our resources (internal staff, contractors and neighboring utilities) will remain fully committed and deployed until we have connected all Ottawa residents and businesses.”
More than a dozen schools will remain closed in Ottawa on Monday due to power outages, and the city of Ottawa is opening “single windows” for community support information.
Hydro Ottawa said this weekend that with crews in the “final phase of restoration efforts,” today they are focusing on the following areas.
- Beautiful Corners to the east and Lynwood Village
- West Carlingwood, Glaber Park, Mckellar Heights and Whitehaven
- City View, Crestview and Meadowlands Drive
- Cityview Skyline, Fisher Heights
- Fisher Glen
- Lincoln Heights and Britannia Heights
- Merivale Gardens and areas around Merivale Road
- Pauline Vanier Park
- Annex Pineglen
- Queensway Terrace South and Ridgeview
- Riverside Park and Hog’s Back
Sections of the Alta Vista neighborhood were returning online Sunday evening. Hydro Ottawa said “the scope of the work has been completed” in Alta Vista and that teams will be on site Sunday night and Monday to restore neighborhoods.
“WE DIDN’T FORGET,” HYDRO OTTAWA SAYS
Frustration has risen across Ottawa this weekend as residents spend a second weekend without light after the May 21 storm.
Muglia insists that Hydro Ottawa will continue to work 24 hours a day until the entire network is recovered.
“We hope residents can support us a little more,” Muglia said.
“This was such a widespread success in our city. There are a lot of trees with broken wires and poles that we are still dealing with.”
Muglia adds that Hydro Ottawa has not forgotten the 18,000 customers who do not yet have electricity.
“There are residents who feel we have forgotten about them. I can guarantee you that we have not forgotten them,” Muglia said on Saturday.
“We are aware of every feeder that has an interruption. Even if you can see a street from you, a street that has power and you don’t, don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten anyone.”
HYDRO ONE AND HYDRO QUEBEC
Hydro One reports that just under 12,000 customers across Ontario are without electricity on Sunday morning. The company says it has connected more than 750,000 customers since last Saturday’s storm.
As it progresses, Hydro One warns that some of the more remote areas may be waiting a few more days, or possibly weeks, to restore electricity.
More than 1,900 hydraulic masts were destroyed by the storm.
Hydro Quebec reported that 6,300 customers across the province were left without electricity on Sunday morning, most of whom are in the Laurentian area. In the Outaouais region, just under 1,000 customers have not yet reconnected to the network. Most Gatineau customers have restored electricity; however, there are disruptions scattered throughout the Outaouais region in places such as La Peche and Val-des-Monts.
SCHOOLS
The Ottawa District School Board Carleton and the Ottawa Catholic School Board say schools will open for face-to-face learning Monday if they have power.
Schools will open on Monday if electricity has been restored to the building before 3pm on Sunday.
Details of school bus cancellations are available on the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority website.
FOOD LEFTOVERS
All organic waste containers have only been removed from the city’s 15 sites.
For information on waste disposal options, visit the City of Ottawa website.
CAPITAL CLEANING
The City of Ottawa has launched a new neighborhood cleanup program called “Cleaning the Capital: After the Storm.”
Like the annual Cleaning the Captial program, neighbors, family, and friends can work together to clean up their neighborhood after the storm. Residents are asked to complete the electronic registration form for the “Capital Cleanup” program.
Supplies can be picked up from Saturday, between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., at the following locations:
- Navan Memorial Center & Arena, 1295 Colonial Road
- Howard Darwin Centennial (Merivale) Arena, 1765 Merivale Road
- Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Center, 3320 Paul Anka Drive
- CARDELREC Recreation Complex (Goulbourn), 1500 Shea Road
The city is also partnering with Samaritan’s Purse, a non-governmental organization, and will support residents who have been affected on their private property. For more information, visit samaritanspurse.ca/ottawavolunteer.
Volunteers are asked to bring the following:
- Clothes suitable for the weather that can be soiled, wet or damaged
- work gloves if you have them, otherwise they can provide you
- closed toe shoes (ideally steel toe boots)
Please do not bring your own equipment or tools to the Samaritan’s Purse project.