The May 21 storm has cost Hydro Ottawa $ 25 million to $ 30 million, more than five times what the 2018 tornadoes cost, according to CEO Bryce Conrad.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Conrad released the first preliminary estimate of the cost of damage to Ottawa’s power grid after the law crashed Ottawa with winds of up to 190 km / h 10 days ago.
He stressed that this is the estimated cost only for Hydro Ottawa and that capital expenditures are likely to be the bulk of the bill.
“We are obviously grateful that the Prime Minister has agreed to cover these costs, and we will obviously incorporate these costs into the final bill presented by the city,” Conrad said.
Conrad said 98 percent of customers who lost electricity during the storm have reconnected, but there were still 3,000 customers without electricity as of Tuesday afternoon, in pockets across the city.
Damage and the need for newly discovered equipment are some of the problems holding back recovery, Conrad said.
“In some of the most affected areas, much of the equipment is actually in the backyards of the residences. As we go in and do the work in the backyard to pick up eight or ten people, we’re discovering that instead just need to replace a stick, the transformer is crushed or something has happened to it “, he explained. “So we have to pivot and replace it. It only takes longer than it would otherwise.”
He also said that sometimes large cranes are needed to move the poles into place around obstacles, which also requires more time.
Hydro Ottawa reconnected its outage map Monday night to provide an estimated restoration time for residents who do not yet have electricity. Conrad stressed that these estimates are based on the information they have, but the situation is fluid and dynamic and new damage is sometimes discovered.
He also acknowledged that some other residents who have restored electricity have experienced further cuts.
“Let me assure you that we are not doing any planned work at the moment. All the work, all the efforts are focused on restoring the storm, “he said.
More than 8,000 customers in Stittsville and Kanata lost electricity on Monday night and several customers in the Parkway Park area in Nepean lost electricity on Tuesday morning. Conrad said this happened when the infrastructure damaged by the storm failed.
“What we found last night was a piece of infrastructure that was severely damaged and compromised by the storm. We had equipment working on site and we saw that the switch was failing, so we were able to make repairs with quite quickly, ”he explained, saying there was a similar problem behind Tuesday morning’s interruption.
“We are fully aware of the fact that residents are traumatized by this particular event,” he added. “Do we expect more from this? The system will be sensitive for the next few weeks or two until it works on its own, but once we get over that, we should be fine.”
SCHOOLS
Five schools remain powerless, three on the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and two on the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board says Merivale, Brookfield and Bell High Schools will remain closed Tuesday because they have no electricity. Students will learn at a distance. Castor Valley Elementary School will continue with distance learning on Tuesday, but will reopen on Wednesday for face-to-face learning.
The Ottawa Catholic School Board says Sacred Heart and St. Monica is still powerless. Virtual learning at the Catholic board began Monday.
Schools with electricity are normally open.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT CENTERS
Four community support centers remain open this week, operating daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The centers will have information related to general insurance, housing and financial services, requirements and procedures for building and demolition licenses, public health, psychosocial support, etc.
In addition, each location will provide access to charging stations for electronic devices, showers and toilets.
They are at:
Howard Darwin Centennial Arena and Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Center will also have food available until 7 p.m. Wednesday.
STORM DISCOVERY
City officials have asked residents to place the remnants of the storm at the end of their driveway or sidewalk for collection, though officials warn that a full cleanup could take weeks or even months.
The city is collecting organic debris, such as tree branches, non-organic items, such as roof tiles or other building materials. Organic and non-organic waste must be kept separate.
Make sure that the waste to be collected does not obstruct sidewalks, paths, roads or fire hydrants. Smaller garden waste can be put in garbage bags, as usual. Glass and other sharp items should be wrapped and labeled to protect workers.
“Dedicated cleaning crews will pick up these rubble as they move around the city; this may not be according to your regular pickup schedule. Teams may need more time to collect all items, so please be patient and leave these items on the side of the road, ”the city said in a public service announcement.
The Trail waste facility at 4475 Trail Rd. Is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tipping costs for residents with storm-related materials will not be charged.