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Helping residents be emergency-prepared
Most of the time, power outages will be over shortly after they begin, but when a major storm happens, a stable supply of electricity is jeopardized. While utility companies like Hydro Ottawa play a critical role in safeguarding the system and restoring power, too often residents feel ill-prepared and powerless during an emergency, particularly when electricity is out for an extended period of time. It’s imperative that we all take personal responsibility to help minimize the impact of power outages on ourselves, our families and our communities. To help facilitate those discussions, we recently launched a comprehensive section dedicated to emergency preparedness on our website. You will find downloadable checklists, important phone numbers, as well as information you need to make an emergency plan. Read our emergency preparedness blog for more insights, or visit the new section on our website.
Planned work is necessary work
Planned work includes critical projects deemed to be essential in providing safe and reliable electricity to our customers. If there is planned work happening around the city and in your ward, it’s because it has been deemed absolutely necessary and vital to complete.
Our goal is to maintain the electricity system so we can prevent larger and longer unplanned outages from occurring in the future. Prevention is the key.
To protect the safety of our crews and customers when working on a project, it may be necessary to temporarily turn off the power for repairs or upgrades. Planned power interruptions are carefully reviewed and scheduled to ensure that any inconvenience is minimal and enables the work to be completed as quickly and as safely as possible.
To view our current list of planned work projects in your ward, visit our website.
Hydro Ottawa wins Top Employer
For the fifteenth consecutive year, Hydro Ottawa has earned a spot among the National Capital Region’s Top Employers. After facing one of our hardest years ever, sustaining extensive damage to our systems by the historic derecho wind storm in May 2022, Hydro Ottawa remained resilient thanks to our connected workforce. The powerful connection between employees and the community, as well as to each other, has been carefully nurtured over many years within the culture at Hydro Ottawa. It’s that connection to purpose and community that is a key driver of the organization’s success and vision for the future. Read more here.
Protect your appliances from power surges
A power surge is an unexpected and temporary increase in voltage. While rare, it can occur for several reasons, coming from outside or inside your home, including electrical overload and faulty wiring, a lightning strike, or as the result of power restoration efforts. When a surge occurs, sudden jolts of electricity can carry thousands of volts of energy through your home, damaging your appliances and other electronics. Know the signs and find out how to protect your appliances on our blog.
What to know about EV chargers before you buy a vehicle
If you’re looking to purchase an electric vehicle in the near future, you’ll need to plan ahead. From electrical system upgrades and permits, to finding the right EV charger, we’ve got what you need to ensure a safe and speedy installation that will get you on the road. Read our blog.
Shareable podcasts and blogs
Accelerating a pan-Canadian electricity grid [PODCAST]:
Canada doesn’t have one national electricity grid. Instead we have multiple grids overseen by their respective province or territory. In episode 105 of the thinkenergy podcast, we chat with Moe Kabbara, Vice President of Transition Accelerator, who unpacks the value of an integrated electricity grid and the Electrifying Canada initiative.
Keep kids connected to you this March break [BLOG]:
Today’s kids are one of the first generations raised with technology around (and on) them at all times. Reducing the solitary screen time that kids spend while on their smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles is a goal for many parents during March break. Our list of tech-inspired, but family-friendly activities is here to help.