Alectra continues power restoration in wake of weekend’s devastating freezing rain and ice storm

/EIN News/ -- BARRIE, Ontario, March 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alectra Utilities’ powerline crews worked throughout the night to restore service to homes and businesses who experienced power disruptions due to the freezing rain and icy conditions, which began on Friday night and have extended into Sunday. Most damage to Alectra’s grid occurred in Barrie and Penetanguishene overnight, with additional outages in Richmond Hill and, unfortunately, approximately 44,000 customers are still without service this morning.

Alectra anticipates that service will be restored to many customers throughout Sunday but given the infrastructure damage, we are not able to provide an estimated time for full restoration (ETR) at this point. Service restoration times will be provided as crews assess the damage in hard hit neighbourhoods. Customers can get updates on the company’s power restoration efforts by following the Alectra X account, @AlectraNews, or by viewing the outage map at alectrautilities.com.

Those who are still without power are encouraged to check on relatives and neighbours who may require assistance. In the event of downed powerlines, stay at least 10 metres away (the length of a school bus), and call 911 immediately.

As power is restored, if residents notice that their neighbours have power again, but they are still out, it may be an because their home’s service mast was damaged during the storm. Here is what they’ll need to know before we can re-energize: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ8AWvfN_oo.

Refrigerated food should be checked if power has been out for a lengthy period. We recommend avoiding opening your refrigerator or freezer doors unless necessary. Keep them closed as much as possible to prevent cold air from escaping. Learn more about 'food safety in an emergency' here: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-drinking-water-safe-emergency.html#a3. Additional safety information can be found at alectrautilities.com/what-do-during-outage.

The safety of our employees, contractors and the community is our top priority. We appreciate the patience and support of residents and response teams as we navigate this storm response together.

About Alectra Utilities

Serving more than one million homes and businesses and approximately three million people in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe area, Alectra Utilities is the largest municipally-owned electric utility in Canada, based on the total number of customers served. We contribute to the economic growth and vibrancy of the 17 communities we serve by investing in essential energy infrastructure, delivering a safe and reliable supply of electricity, and providing innovative energy solutions. Our mission is to be an energy ally, helping our customers and the communities we serve to discover the possibilities of tomorrow’s energy future.

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Media Contact

Email: media@alectra.com | 24/7 Media Line: 1-833-MEDIA-LN

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c0ceacb1-6c95-492e-afb5-7e93a8d63238