Hydro damage 'significantly worse' than the ice storm and tornadoes, Hydro Ottawa says
Hydro Ottawa says the damage from Saturday's storm is "simply beyond comprehension", and is "significantly worse" than the 1998 ice storm and the tornadoes that hit the capital three years ago.
Approximately 110,000 Ottawa homes and businesses remain without power two days after a severe storm hit the capital, with wind gusts of up to 120 km/h.
In a letter to Mayor Jim Watson and council Saturday night, Hydro Ottawa said damage is located across the city.
"We are managing this from a whole of city perspective given that no single area of the city was unaffected in some manner," the letter said.
"And to provide some context for you and your residents, this event is significantly worse than both the ice storm of 1998 and the tornadoes of 2018. The level of damage to our distribution system is simply beyond comprehension."
More than 200 hydro poles have been broken across Ottawa, including dozens along Merivale Road.
Hydro Ottawa says crews will work around the clock until power is restored.
"The widespread nature of this outage persists with no single fix," the utility said.
"Our teams are working as quickly as possible with reinforcement crews coming in from our contractors and utility partners from as far away as the Greater Toronto Area, Kingston and New Brunswick. Crews will work around the clock until all power is restored to our city."
Hydro has been restored to the Queensway Carleton Hospital, the Robert O. Pickard Environmental Centre water treatment plant and the Ottawa International Airport.
Shortly after the storm hit, more than 180,000 customers were without power – which is about half of the Hydro Ottawa customer base.
Hydro Ottawa's director of system operations and grid automation Joseph Muglia told CFRA's The Morning Rush with Bill Carroll the storm hit different parts of Ottawa with different intensities, creating challenges for crews.
"Just the way we were hit with this one, extremely damaging for sure and so widespread across the city which makes it so much more complicated."
More than 150,000 Hydro Ottawa customers lost power when a series of tornadoes hit Ottawa in September 2018.
During the 1998 ice storm, more than 600,000 people lost power across eastern Ontario.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.