More than 55,000 Hydro One customers across Ontario remain without electricity on Monday as crews work around the clock to repair widespread damage caused by last week’s brutal ice storm. The aftermath of the storm, compounded by high winds and heavy rain in recent days, has left a trail of destruction across the province’s power grid.
Hydro One reported that power had been restored to tens of thousands of customers over the weekend, with the number of outages dipping to 69,000 by Sunday morning. However, a resurgence in outage reports later that evening pushed the total back above 80,000, underscoring the scale and complexity of the storm’s impact.
Crews made significant progress in the Minden area on Saturday, replacing 50 hydro poles and rebuilding part of the electrical infrastructure. The utility’s fleet of helicopters and drones have resumed operations thanks to improved weather, helping to assess damage and guide response efforts from the air.
Since the storm struck, over one million homes and businesses have experienced disruptions, marking one of the most extensive power outages Ontario has seen in recent years. Many rural and hard-to-reach areas are still without electricity, highlighting the challenge of restoring power across the vast province.
According to Hydro One’s latest regional update, the hardest-hit area is in and around Kawartha Lakes, where roughly 20,000 customers remain in the dark. Crews continue to work around the clock, with more than 4,800 personnel deployed to tackle repairs and bring relief to affected communities.
Originally published on Weekly Voice