Your storm restoration questions, answered by our Storm Lead
Published: September 3, 2026
Yesterday's wind and hailstorm caused widespread damage across Toronto, resulting in outages for thousands of customers across the city.
Thanks to the hard work of our crews overnight, power has already been restored to approximately 90% of affected customers. As of this morning, about 6,000 customers remain without power, down from a peak of 65,000.
We understand how disruptive outages can be, and we're committed to restoring power safely and as quickly as possible. We asked our Outage & Storm Lead, Dan Smart, to answer some of the questions we're hearing most often as restoration work continues.
How do I report a safety issue?
Public safety is our top priority. If you see an electrical hazard, such as a downed powerline or sparking electrical equipment, stay back at least 10 metres (about the length of a school bus) and call Toronto Hydro immediately at 416-542-8000 (press 1).
Always treat downed powerlines as live and dangerous.
Why don't I see crews working in my area if my power is out?
It can be frustrating to be without power and not see Toronto Hydro crews working nearby. In some cases, you may even see one of our trucks drive through the area, but your power still isn't restored.
Often, the damage affecting your property is actually located somewhere else on the grid. Following a storm of this size, there can be multiple repairs that need to be completed before your power can be restored. For example, crews may need to repair equipment serving an entire neighbourhood before they can address damage affecting individual streets or properties.
Behind every restoration effort is a coordinated response involving damage assessment, crew deployment, tree clearing, equipment repairs and safety checks. Even when work isn't visible from your street, crews may be making progress elsewhere that's necessary to restore your service.
Sometimes my power comes back on, then goes off again. Why does this happen?
As we restore power, the safety of our crews and customers remains our top priority.
In some situations, crews need to temporarily interrupt power to safely complete repairs or reroute electricity around damaged equipment. While this can result in a temporary outage after power has been restored, it's often a necessary step to ensure repairs are completed safely and the grid remains stable.
Why is the power back on for my street, but not at my home?
There could be localized damage that's only affecting your property.
Strong winds, hail, falling branches and other debris can sometimes damage electrical equipment connected directly to a home or building. In some cases, this damage may not be immediately obvious from the ground.
For overhead services, customer-owned equipment can include components such as the service stack, clevis and meter base. If you're still without power and it's safe to do so, use the diagram below to identify customer-owned equipment and check for visible signs of damage.
Look for equipment that appears:
- Bent or broken
- Loose or damaged
- Pulled away from the building
- Impacted by fallen branches or debris
If customer-owned electrical equipment has been damaged, repairs by a licensed electrical contractor may be required before we can safely reconnect power.
For more information about customer-owned equipment, repair requirements and reconnection steps, visit our Customer Action Form web page.
Why is it taking so long for my power to come back?
During major restoration events like this one, crews first respond to safety hazards and critical infrastructure, then focus on repairs that restore power to the greatest number of customers in the shortest amount of time. As restoration progresses, crews move on to smaller, more localized outages.
If you're still without power, please make sure your outage has been reported so we know you're affected and can continue tracking restoration efforts in your area. Learn more about how we restore power.
Thank you for your patience
We know power outages can be disruptive, and we appreciate the patience and understanding our customers have shown as crews continue restoration efforts across the city.
Our teams remain focused on restoring power safely and as quickly as possible for every customer affected by yesterday's storm.
For the latest updates, visit our outage map and follow us on X.