How power is restored
When the power goes out, we get to work right away to restore your power as quickly and safely as possible.
In major storms crews must wait until the weather clears before assessing the damage, and this means it can take some time to provide accurate estimates of when power might be restored. During these storms, the cause of the power outage may be difficult to locate or access or there may be several problems so the repairs may take longer.
How power is restored
During major storm events, restoration progress is fastest in the first 24 hours because repairs to large transmission lines and major feeders can restore thousands of customers at once.
As work continues, the remaining outages become smaller and more complex. A single repair on day 1 may restore 10,000 customers, while a repair on day 3 may restore 100, and by the final stages, one repair may restore only one customer.
This is normal for all utilities. Crews continue working at full capacity throughout the event, but the number of customers restored per repair naturally decreases as we move from large system components to individual customer outages.
How priorities are set for power restoration
- Check the system and repair damage to power plants, transmission lines and substations
- Restore power to critical services such as hospitals, police, fire, water and communication systems.
- Make repairs that will return service to the largest amount of customers in the least amount of time, such as high-density housing and large neighbourhoods.
- Restore power to smaller neighbourhoods and individual customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
My neighbour has power, but I don’t. Why? Homes on the same street aren't always on the same "circuit." You may be connected to a different transformer, or there may be specific damage to the line connecting only to your home.
I saw a crew leave my street, but my lights are still out." Restoration happens in stages. You may have seen a damage assessor identifying what parts are needed, or a specialized crew finishing one part of a complex repair before a bucket truck arrives to finalize the connection.
Watch our video to see our process for restoring power.