WE WORK HARD TO KEEP YOUR POWER ON

Before an outage occurs:

1. Assemble an emergency kit with flashlights, portable radio, battery-operated or wind-up alarm clock, batteries, matches, candles, bottled water and ready-to-eat foods (such as canned pasta or chocolate bars). Don't forget to include a manual can opener.
2. Place the emergency kit in a pre-designated location - important if you have to find it in the dark. For multi-storey dwellings, keep at least one flashlight on each level.
3. Check batteries twice a year.
4. Consider using surge protectors to protect sensitive electronic equipment.
5. Keep Toronto Hydro-Electric System's Lights Out number (416.542.8000) near your phone with a list of emergency numbers.
6. Ensure you either have a cell phone or hardwire, single-line telephone. Cordless phones will not work without electricity.
7. Have an alternate plan in place to ensure the continuity of any life-support needs. This may include making special arrangements to spend time with a friend or relative during an outage or using a back-up power supply.

During an outage:

1. Before you call to report an outage, make sure it's not a tripped breaker or blown fuse in your home's electrical panel. Check with neighbours to see if their power it out and then call us at 416.542.8000.
2. Stay clear of low-hanging and downed power lines or damaged utility poles. Report them as soon as possible at 416.542.8000.
3. Turn off or unplug electronic components and motor-driven equipment, such as computers, fridges, furnaces and pumps.
4. Don't open the freezer. Food will remain frozen for up to two days in a closed freezer cabinet, if undisturbed. Once thawed, cook food before refreezing. Avoid opening the fridge. Perishables, such as milk, should last six to eight hours, but if in doubt, throw it out. If power is off for more than one day in sub-zero weather, you can transfer food to a cooler stored in an unheated garage or balcony. Don't leave food out in open containers.
5. Never use a gas stove as a room heater, and don't barbecue inside the garage. If a fireplace or kerosene space heater is used, open a window for ventilation. Otherwise, there is a real danger of death from carbon monoxide poisoning or asphyxiation (as an unvented combustion appliance consumes all the available oxygen in the room).
6. For homes with automatic garage door openers, pull the dangling nylon cord to release the door for manual opening.
7. If you have a gas-powered generator, don't run it in the garage (as deadly carbon monoxide fumes can seep into your home). Always refer to the owner's manual before setting up the generator. Improper installation of a generator can pose a serious electrical hazard to Toronto Hydro emergency personnel. Chain it to a solid object in your backyard to avoid theft and connect a heavy-duty outdoor extension cord.
8. Listen to your emergency kit radio for updates, but if the indoor temperature gets too chilly, head to a heated shelter.
9. Check the stove is off.
10. If you're using lamps and appliances when the power goes out, turn them off to avoid possible damage when the power is back on.

CAUSES OF POWER OUTAGES:

Weather

Wind, lightning, freezing rain and snow cause the majority of power failures. Wind causes tree limbs to come into contact with wires resulting in service interruptions.

Equipment Failure

Toronto Hydro-Electric System's equipment is regularly maintained, but problems can occur. Cables, connectors, transformers, switches and many other types of equipment can fail, accidentally triggering an outage.

Car Accident

A car accidentally hitting and damaging our power equipment can also affect the power supply.

Animals

Believe it or not, animals such as crows, squirrels and raccoons are responsible for numerous outages in the Toronto area. They sometimes chew into lines or come into contact with a piece of equipment and an energized line, resulting in a service interruption to you.

Cable Dig-ins

Inadvertently hitting a buried line while excavating, damages or breaks an underground cable and results in an outage.

Trees

Trees that grow into overhead lines cause many outages to the system and strong storms can cause trees or branches to fall and tear down power lines.

Scheduled Interruptions

Occasionally, Toronto Hydro interrupts service in order to allow our crews to safely conduct certain maintenance or repair work. We try and schedule them at the least inconvenient times for you and try and keep them to a minimum. If circumstances allow, we do try and provide you with prior notice before we interrupt the service.

Toronto Hydro is Doing the Following to Reduce Power Outages:

• Annual inspections (or line patrol) of our overhead system identify and correct any system deficiencies before they cause an outage.
• Regular maintenance programs test equipment and treat our wooden power poles to enhance the reliability of the distribution system.
• Regular maintenance programs to inspect and maintain our underground system.
• Tree trimming along our power lines to help prevent branches from damaging or blowing into our power lines.
• 'Powerwash' the porcelain insulators atop our wooden poles, through our insulator washing program, getting rid of road salt, diesel fuel soot and jet plane exhaust.
• Special insulated wire used in heavily wooded areas reduces power outages caused by tree limbs blowing into our power lines.
• Lightning arrestors to provide a harmless path to the ground for electrical surges.
• Grounded shield wire above some power lines shield them from lightning strikes.
• Animal guards on our overhead transformers and other equipment protects against short circuits caused by animals.
• Infrared inspections on our overhead circuits and underground equipment indicate deficiencies that may pose safety hazards or impact system reliability.
• We upgrade our services, as needed, to keep pace with urban growth and enhance reliability.
• We locate and mark any underground power lines for customers if they call in before digging.
• We install orange insulated covers to power lines for construction projects in close proximity of the overhead power lines.