Planned power outage affects thousands in and around Woodstock

Approximately 14,000 Hydro One customers were without power for over eight hours Sunday morning as crews upgraded equipment in the Southside Park area. The outage ran a few hours longer than expected after a switch failed. (Lee Griffi Photo)

Lee Griffi, Editor

A planned power outage in Woodstock to upgrade a transformation station at Southside Park didn’t go quite as planned on Sunday morning.

Many residents were glued to their cellphones as the anticipated 7 a.m. repair deadline came and went several times. Most customers reported a full power restoration at 9:32 a.m. as the Hydro One outage map changed the restoration time on a few occasions.

“On Oct. 18, a planned outage affecting more than 14,000 customers in Woodstock and northern Oxford County from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m. took place so crews could safely replace aging switches and associated equipment at the Woodstock Transformer Station at Southside Park,” said a Hydro One statement.

“During the restoration process, a line switch failed and the outage was extended. Crews repaired the failed switch while our control room used alternate power routes to restore customers. All customers had power restored by approximately 9:30 a.m. This switch will be replaced at a later date.”

The statement added Hydro One knows being without power is challenging, so it schedules planned outages during periods of lower electricity demand to minimize the impact on customers.

“We make every effort to notify affected customers in advance through automated phone calls or text messages. Customers who are not registered for outage alerts can sign up at https://www.hydroone.com/request-a-service/outage-alerts.”

Some city residents took to social media to let their displeasure be known, likely ones who are not signed up for the alerts.

“Want to give us a better heads up as to when you're going to shut off our power! Especially when you go over the set hours! There are children and babies we gotta plan for! Thanks.”

The Echo has also received reports of electronic devices being damaged or “fried” when the power came on. For example, one reader said their internet router no longer worked when hydro was reconnected.

Hydro One customers with questions about our Conditions of Service or damage claim process can contact our customer care team at 1-888-664-9376 or visit https://www.hydroone.com/power-outages-and-safety/damage-claims.

“Hydro One believes in standing up for our customers and doing the right thing,” said the utility’s website. “At times, doing the right thing means acknowledging something has gone wrong and making it right — that’s our approach to damage claims.”

Based on the Ontario Energy Board’s Distribution System Code, Hydro One’s damage claim team investigates claims submitted by customers who have incurred costs due to something within its control. The utility also has details about losses during planned outages.

“Loss of income, revenue, food or otherwise as a result of planned outages for maintenance or repairs, including emergency outages, are not eligible for compensation. Hydro One makes every effort to provide notification in advance of these events, including cancellations. Due to weather, urgent issues or change of work methods, it may not be possible to provide notification. We will not be responsible for losses resulting from such outages.”

Some residents also reported interruptions in cellular service, and restaurants and bars closed a little early to perform closing duties before the power went out. The Echo also received reports of some retailers not being able to utilize point-of-sale systems, even into Monday afternoon.

Perhaps the most frequently asked question on social media Sunday morning was if any Tim Hortons were open in the city.

“Escaped to Norwich Timmie's for breakfast. Avoided all traffic-signalled corners, utter chaos,” said a social media post.

The City of Woodstock also announced service disruptions at municipal facilities. The Southside Aquatics Centre delayed opening until 7 a.m., and its Sunday lane swim was rescheduled to 7:30 a.m. Public skating at the Reeves Complex was cancelled in the early afternoon of Oct. 18 due to dropping ice temperatures.

The Woodstock Police Service had extra officers on duty just in case, but calls for service were nothing out of the ordinary, even though traffic lights were turned into four-way stops.

Editor’s Note: If any of our readers attempt to make a claim, let us know how it goes. You can email us at info@theecho.ca.