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Outage Map
To report an Outage, please call our toll-free outage number: 1-888-735-4801
Newmarket
Midland / Tay
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do when my power goes out? Do I need to report it?
If you notice that your power has gone out, we encourage you to first check our Outage Map and visit our social media channels, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram, for the most up-to-date information. These platforms provide details on outages, safety hazards, estimated restoration times, and other important updates. If you require further assistance, please use our convenient outage webchat on our Outage Map webpage. Our NT Power outage team is available 24/7 to assist you. Should you still need support, you can contact our toll-free outage number at 1-888-735-4801. Reporting power outages helps us respond quickly, restore power as soon as possible, and ensure the safety of our communities and staff.
What are the most common causes of outages?
There are several causes of outages. Many are often due to extreme weather events such as freezing rain, hailstorms, high winds, and winter storms, all of which have the potential to damage power lines and electrical equipment. Other causes may include vehicle or construction accidents, wildlife such as squirrels, birds, and raccoons, and trees contacting the powerlines, which can all damage equipment or hydro poles, disrupt the flow of electricity through the lines, and potentially bring down powerlines.
Why does it take so long for NT Power to get the power back on?
At NT Power, we do our best to restore your power as quickly as possible after an outage. Our team members stay on stand-by 24/7, 365 days per year, ready to attend any and all unplanned events.
To ensure all our bases are covered, we must follow a step-by-step restoration process. As soon as an outage is reported, our trucks are dispatched to the site to assess the damage. Once the root cause(s) of the unplanned outage is determined, crews can begin making repairs, which can vary in complexity. We must ensure the work is done accurately and safely in potentially adverse conditions. This is imperative before re-energizing the lines.
For public safety, we are required to prioritize repairs in specific areas, such as fire and police stations, hospitals, and essential city services and systems.
We will always do our best to restore power as quickly as possible, and we strive to keep you, our valued customer, updated throughout the process.
Why are there planned outages?
Planned outages are scheduled in advance to perform necessary maintenance, repairs, or upgrades on our electrical infrastructure. These outages help prevent future unplanned outages and serve as a proactive measure to ensure the safety of our community and the long-term reliability of our services. By conducting planned outages, we can improve our system’s overall performance and reduce the risk of more serious issues down the line.
What resources can I use during a power outage?
Power outages can happen when we least expect them. It is essential to ensure that you and your family are equipped with the proper information and tools before an outage occurs. Familiarize yourself with tips on how to prepare your home for unexpected outages, what to do during an outage, and how to create an emergency plan and kit by visiting https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/.
Where can I learn more about power outage safety?
There are many online resources available to help with power outage safety. You can visit ntpower.ca/outages for assistance with outages, access our online outage web chat, and view an outage map. Here are some additional helpful links for power outage safety:
How do I report a power outage or find details on outages?
You can easily report a power outage and find the most up-to-date information on our website Outage Map, where you will also find our convenient outage webchat. You can also try reaching out to our social media channels including Facebook, X (formally Twitter), and Instagram which are monitored during regular business hours.
If you need further assistance, please use our toll-free outage number at 1-888-735-4801. Our team is available 24/7 to assist you and ensure the quickest possible resolution.
What do I do about damage caused by an outage? How do I make a claim?
Unexpected weather and power outages can cause unexpected damage. We want to make filing a damage claim as easy as possible for you. If you notice that an outage has caused damage, please report it to us immediately through our website on our Outage page or via our Contact Us page.
It is important to report any and all damage caused by an outage so that we can maintain the safety of our communities, ensure reliable service, and raise awareness about potential hazards.
Once a damage claim is filed through our Claim Reporting Form, we can then work with our insurer, MEARIE, who launches an investigation of the proposed claim, assesses the potential damage, and determines the amount of coverage owed. This will vary on a case-by-case basis. Once the coverage amount is determined, MEARIE will issue a closing letter outlining the final payment decision.
Why does my power flicker but not go out sometimes?
If you notice your power flickering but not completely turning off, it may be a momentary power outage. Momentary power outages are defined as a brief power interruption lasting one minute or less, but typically only one or two seconds. While momentary outages are inconvenient, the automatic system protection devices on the NT Power distribution system help to prevent longer duration outages. These occur as system protection devices that operate to mitigate a larger outage and allow unwanted contact with powerlines to clear, such as tree branches.
Why is my power out but my neighbour's on?
There are a few reasons why you may have been affected by an outage while your neighbor wasn't. You might be on a separate distribution circuit from your neighbor or even from the rest of your street. There could also be an issue specific to your property’s electrical system. This is why different homes in your neighborhood may be affected differently during an outage.
Why is there a loud bang when the power goes out?
Hearing a loud bang when the power goes out isn't completely uncommon, but it is definitely not an everyday occurrence. This is the result of a fuse operating on the distribution system to isolate the power to a problem area. As a safety mechanism to prevent further damage, your electrical system will break the circuit, creating a loud "pop" or "bang" sound.
Although this is not typically an emergency or a major cause for concern, it is important to report it immediately if you hear a loud bang when the power goes out. This way, we can send our standby crews to inspect and make any necessary repairs.
What Does a Loss of Supply from Hydro One Mean?
A "loss of supply" from Hydro One refers to an interruption in the flow of electricity from Hydro One's infrastructure to NT Power’s infrastructure. Hydro One is Ontario’s largest electricity transmission and distribution service provider, responsible for delivering power from generating stations to local utilities and businesses across the province. A supply loss typically means that power is not reaching the local utility due to an issue within Hydro One’s network.
This loss can occur for several reasons, such as:
Severe weather like storms or high winds can damage power lines or substations.
Equipment failure at key points in Hydro One’s electricity grid.
Planned maintenance or upgrades on their infrastructure.
Unexpected incidents like accidents or environmental disruptions.
A loss of electricity supply from Hydro One can cause an outage for NT Power customers even when there is no issue within the NT Power maintained infrastructure. This can result in widespread outages until Hydro One’s operations team identifies and resolves the issue.
While these situations can be disruptive, we remain committed to working with Hydro One to identify the cause and restore power safely and efficiently and to coordinate closely with Hydro One to keep residents informed of updates and timelines for restoration.
Why is it challenging to provide an Estimated Time of Restoration (ETR) during an outage due to Loss of Supply?
When an outage is caused by a loss of supply, it can be very difficult to provide an accurate ETR, as we are reliant on the information that we receive from Hydro One, which must carry out an investigation process to assess the cause, impacts, and measures for restoration. Furthermore, in the case of widespread outages, Hydro One must also prioritize restoration activities to ensure that actions taken have the greatest impact.
After Hydro One has restored the electricity supply and the NT Power grid has been energized, further actions and repairs may be necessary to restore service to all NT Power customers. The extent of these repairs may not be fully known until the power supply has returned.
In all circumstances, we strive to provide regular updates and communications to ensure that if we cannot provide an ETR, we keep our customers informed of the ongoing restoration activities and work to provide an ETR as soon as possible.