PowerStream Repairs to Power Lines Damaged by Windstorm to Be Completed Today

MARKHAM, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 19, 2014) -

Editors Note: There are two photos associated with this press release.

Reconstruction of twelve broken and three damaged hydro poles on Warden Avenue in Markham continued overnight Wednesday. Work is expected to be completed by this evening, and power is also expected to be restored to three remaining buildings at that time.

PowerStream Lines department crews have been working at the site around the clock making the area safe, setting new poles, stringing overhead conductor wire, installing switching equipment and other accessories as well as repairing damaged overhead and underground lines to customer locations.

PowerStream, ably assisted by its vendors, contractors and York Regional Police, at 11:30 am today has the northbound lanes of Warden Avenue back in service and open to traffic. Southbound lanes should be back in service by the end of day today.

BACKGROUND

• At 6:21 pm on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 high winds caused one hydro pole on Warden Avenue in Markham to fail; the resulting cascade-effect brought down a total of twelve poles including the wire and hardware attached to the pole lines.
  
  
• Motorists in 25 vehicles who were trapped under the fallen wires and broken poles remained inside their vehicles until emergency responders confirmed the lines were de-energized and they could safely exit their vehicles.
  
  
• The incident initially affected 13,000 PowerStream customers in Markham. 10,000 customers were switched to alternate feeds and their power was restored within two hours. PowerStream power line technicians restored power to all but three of the remaining 3,000 customers by 2:30 am on Wednesday, June 18, 2014.
  
  

QUOTE

"The best news of this event was that only one minor injury was reported. The most important lesson we all learned on Tuesday was if we are ever trapped inside a vehicle under power lines, the safest thing to do is stay in the vehicle until emergency responders arrive." Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham, "I would also like to extend my thanks to the crews who worked throughout the night and made incredible progress in 24 hours."

ABOUT POWERSTREAM

PowerStream is a community-owned energy company that provides power and related services to more than 365,000 customers residing or owning a business in communities located immediately north of Toronto and in Central Ontario. It is jointly owned by the Cities of Barrie, Markham and Vaughan.

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