Power has been restored to some areas of central Ontario following widespread outages that left thousands of residents in the dark. Hydro One crews have been working tirelessly to repair damaged infrastructure, but many customers are still without electricity as of Saturday morning.
Extent of Outages
The blackout affected large swaths of Muskoka and central Ontario, with reports of downed power lines and transformer failures. At the peak of the outage, over 20,000 customers were without power. By Saturday, Hydro One reported that power had been restored to approximately 60% of affected customers, but around 8,000 remained in the dark.
Crews Continue Restoration Efforts
Hydro One spokesperson Maria Gomez said crews are working around the clock to restore service. "We understand how difficult it is for customers to be without power, especially during the long weekend. Our teams are making progress, but some areas may experience extended outages due to the extent of the damage," Gomez stated.
The cause of the widespread outages is under investigation, but early reports suggest a combination of equipment failure and weather-related issues. Strong winds and lightning strikes were reported in the region on Friday evening.
Community Impact
Residents in affected areas have been advised to take precautions, including using flashlights instead of candles and checking on vulnerable neighbors. Local emergency shelters have been opened to provide warmth and charging stations for electronic devices.
In Huntsville, the town's recreation center is serving as a temporary shelter. "We are providing a safe space for residents to warm up and charge their phones," said Mayor Karen Collins.
Safety Warnings
Hydro One has issued safety warnings, urging the public to stay away from downed power lines and report them immediately. "Never approach a downed power line, even if it appears to be dead. Always assume it is live and dangerous," Gomez emphasized.
The utility company expects full restoration by late Sunday, but some remote areas may experience longer delays. Customers are encouraged to check Hydro One's outage map for updates.
