Remote parts of rural eastern Ontario could wait weeks for power restoration
A Hydro One spokesperson says some people living in remote parts of rural eastern Ontario could be waiting weeks to have power restored after last Saturday’s devastating and deadly storm.
Speaking on Newstalk 580 CFRA’s “CFRA Live with Andrew Pinsent”, Richard Francella said the more remote areas of the province require extra equipment.
“We do anticipate that those customers in those rural, remote and island locations where you need specialized equipment like boats and helicopters, in the Perth and Bancroft areas, we do anticipate those customers to be without power for several more days,” Francella said. “In the Tweed area, just due to the extent of the damage, in those hard-to-reach areas, we anticipate a small number of customers to be without power for several more weeks.”
Tweed, Ont., about 40 km north of Belleville, suffered significant damage during the derecho storm last week.
“In Tweed, from what we’ve heard from a crew member, it’s easier to count the number of poles still standing than those on the ground. The damage is quite extraordinary,” Francella said.
Hydro One says more than 1,900 hydro poles across southern and eastern Ontario were damaged or destroyed by the storm. A typical storm does only a fraction of that kind of damage, Francella said.
There are about 25,000 Hydro One customers who remain without power across Ontario as of 11 a.m. Saturday, largely in the eastern portion of the province. More than 720,000 customers have had power restored in the last week.
“We are continuing to make that progress but our crews will not stop until every single customer is restored,” Francella said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.