The May 21 storm cost Hydro Ottawa $ 25-30 million, more than five times the cost of the 2018 tornado, said CEO Bryce Conrad.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Conrad presented the first preliminary estimate of the cost of damage to Ottawa’s power grid after the gorge that crashed in Ottawa with winds of up to 190 km / h 10 days ago.
He stressed that this is the estimated price only for Hydro Ottawa and that capital expenditures are probably the bulk of the bill.
“We are obviously grateful that the prime minister has agreed to cover these costs, and we will obviously include these costs in the final bill that the city is presenting,” Conrad said.
Conrad said 98 percent of customers who lost electricity during the storm were reconnected, but 3,000 customers who are still without electricity by Tuesday afternoon remain in the city’s pockets.
Newly discovered damage and equipment needs are some of the problems slowing recovery, Conrad said.
“In some of the more affected areas, much of the equipment is actually in the backyards of homes. As we enter and do this work in the backyard to take eight or 10 people, we find that instead of just having to change a pole, the transformer is crushed or something has happened to it, ”he explained. “So we have to turn it around and replace it. It just takes more time than it would otherwise. “
He also said that sometimes large cranes are needed to move poles in place around obstacles, which also takes extra time.
Hydro Ottawa returned its interruption card online Monday night to offer an approximate recovery time for residents who are still without electricity. Conrad stressed that these estimates are based on the information at their disposal, but the situation is fluid and dynamic and sometimes new damage is discovered.
He also acknowledged that some other residents whose power had been restored had experienced new power outages.
“Let me assure you that we are not doing any planned work at the moment. “All the work, all the efforts are focused on restoring the storm,” he said.
More than 8,000 customers in Stitsville and Kanata lost electricity on Monday night, and several customers in the Parkway Park area of Nepian lost electricity on Tuesday morning. Conrad said it happened because the infrastructure damaged by the storm failed.
“What we found last night was part of the infrastructure that was severely damaged and compromised by the storm. We had teams working on the spot and we saw that the switch was damaged, so we were able to make repairs quite quickly, “he explained, saying that a similar problem was behind the break on Tuesday morning.
“We are fully aware of the fact that residents are traumatized by this particular event,” he added. “Are we expecting more than that?” The system will be sensitive for the next week or two until it works on its own, but once we’re beyond that, we should be fine. “
SCHOOLS
Five schools remain without power, three on the Ottawa-Carlton School Board and two on the Catholic School Board in Ottawa.
The Ottawa-Carlton School Board says high schools in Maryvale, Brookfield and Bell will remain closed on Tuesday because they have no power. Students will study remotely. Castor Valley Primary School will continue with distance learning on Tuesday, but will reopen for personal learning on Wednesday.
The Catholic School Board in Ottawa says Sacred Heart and St. Monica run out of electricity. Virtual training at the Catholic Council began on Monday.
Electricity schools are operating normally.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT CENTERS
Four community support centers remain open this week, open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. The centers will have information related to non-life insurance, housing and financial services, requirements and processes for building and demolition permits, public health, psychosocial support and more.
In addition, each location will provide access to charging stations for electronic devices, showers and toilets.
They are at:
The Howard Darwin Centennial Arena and Hunt Club-Riverside Park will also be open until 7pm on Wednesdays.
STORM FRAGMENTS
The city has asked residents to put any debris from the storm at the end of its alleys or on the curb, although authorities warn that a full cleanup could take weeks or even months.
The city collects both organic waste, such as tree branches, and inorganic items such as shingles blown from roofs or other building materials. Organic and inorganic waste must be kept separate.
Make sure that all debris intended for collection does not block sidewalks, paths, roads or fire hydrants. Smaller yard waste can be placed in garbage bags as usual. Glass and other sharp objects must be packed and labeled to protect workers.
“Specialized cleaning teams will collect these debris as they move through the city; this may not be in line with your usual collection schedule. Crews may need extra time to collect all the items, so please be patient and leave these items by the roadside, “the city said in a statement.
The Trail Waste Facility, at 4475 Trail Rd., Is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and will be open Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. canceled.
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