OTTAWA, ON, March 17, 2026 /CNW/ - A combination of flash freezing and high winds that began in the early morning hours of March 17 led to scattered outages across Hydro Ottawa's service territory.
During the peak of the high winds, approximately 26,000 customers experienced an outage. Despite the challenging weather conditions, crews are making steady progress. As of 2 p.m., power has been restored to 24,200 customers, with 1,800 remaining without power. Crews will continue to work on restoration efforts until all remaining customers are back online. Hydro Ottawa is incredibly grateful for the community's continued patience as we work to restore power.
Priority has been placed on repairs that pose serious safety hazards first, and on critical infrastructure such as emergency services, hospitals, water and sewage treatment plants, schools and larger neighbourhoods, followed by smaller impacted areas.
Hydro Ottawa understands the frustration of being without power and is working to restore service to all impacted customers as quickly as possible. Safety remains the number one priority amid these windy conditions.
Hydro Ottawa will continue to post information regarding these ongoing outages on their outage map.
There are four ways for customers to report a power outage:
- Submit a report online through the MyAccount customer portal
- Through the Hydro Ottawa app
- Text "OUT" to PWROUT (797688)
- Call our 24/7 outage hotline at (613) 738-0188
Safety tips
- Hydro Ottawa asks the public to respect work site perimeters by keeping a safe distance from crews as they work on energizing the power grid.
- If customers notice downed power lines, stay at least 10 metres away (the length of a school bus) from the wires and from any objects that are in contact with the lines, such as trees. If there is a downed power line, please call us at (613) 738-0188.
- Drive carefully. When traffic signals are out, always treat intersections as all-way stops and proceed through intersections with caution.
- As power is being restored, Hydro Ottawa reminds residents to conserve their use of energy and avoid turning on all electronics and appliances to avoid impacting the electricity supply.
- Please reserve the use of 911 to situations where there is a risk to public safety, and life-threatening emergencies.
About Hydro Ottawa Limited
Hydro Ottawa Limited, a subsidiary of Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. ['Hydro Ottawa Group'], provides electricity to approximately 372,000 homes and businesses across Ottawa and Casselman. For more than a century, the company has been dedicated to delivering clean, safe and reliable power, playing a vital role in shaping a vibrant and sustainable National Capital Region. As a key partner in building a dynamic energy future, Hydro Ottawa Limited is committed to powering the well-being of the communities it serves through the energy transition. This includes delivering reliable service, integrating innovative technologies, pioneering sustainable solutions, and being a trusted source of information and education for customers.
Learn more: hydroottawa.com
SOURCE Hydro Ottawa
Media contact: Media relations team, [email protected], (613) 738-5499 ext 2345
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