Electricity Forum

TORONTO, ONTARIO - Hydro One is sending approximately 60 power line maintainers and support staff to assist Central Vermont Public Service restoring power to 50,000 customers following recent severe storm damage.

"Hydro One crews will continue to restore service to our customers in eastern Ontario who were impacted by the storm, and at the same time, we will help our neighbours," explained Myles D'Arcey, Senior Vice-President, Customer Operations. "We have mutual assistance agreements with U.S. utilities, we help them when they need it, and they'll assist us when we're in need."

The crews going to Vermont are drawn from Hydro One's work centres in Kingston, Tweed, Campbellford, Trenton, Picton, Bowmanville, Fenelon Falls, Minden, Peterborough and Newmarket. They will be working in and around Rutland in the central part of the state that was hit hard by the recent storm. All costs of this expedition will be paid by Central Vermont Public Service.

Hydro One has almost 130 lines and forestry staff deployed in the Perth and Vankleek Hill areas southeast of Ottawa cleaning up storm damage.

Hydro One has gained an excellent reputation for its storm response capabilities. It has sent crews to Florida at the request of Florida Power and Light on three different occasions in the last three years following hurricane damage. Earlier this year Hydro One won the prestigious Edison Electric Institute's "Emergency Recovery Award" for outstanding efforts to restore electric service following three successive severe storms in Ontario last summer and fall. Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is the association of United States investor-owned electric utilities and industry affiliates and associates worldwide.