Even as southern Durham entered its third day of a a heat wave, some parts continued to report intermittent power outages.
Friday will be another scorcher with Environment Canada saying the ongoing heatwave will continue into Saturday. During the heat wave, it has forecast temperatures potentially hitting 37°C.
“Our crews worked through the night and continue to respond to storm-related outages across our service territory following yesterday’s short but severe storm,” said utility provider, Elexicon Energy yesterday.
It said crews remain focused on restoring power to customers affected by smaller, localized outages and individual service interruptions.
Impact Across Durham
Elexicon yesterday reported outages in Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Bowmanville, Port Perry and Beaverton. Residents also reported loss of power in Port Darlington and Courtice.
Loss of power in parts of Bowmanville began being reported at around 1:30pm
“Wondering what’s going on with the outage! It’s still out and this is the second episode today,” said a resident.
“Our power has been out for quite a few times all through out the day. Is there a Hydro one outage?” asked another
“I hope power is back by 7 [pm] so I can watch the game,” said another referring to the Portugal-Croatia FIFA World Cup game held last evening in Toronto. Portugal won 2:1.
“We understand how difficult and frustrating extended outages can be, especially during periods of hot weather. We also recognize that timely outage information was not available through our usual channels due to an IT issue affecting outage communications. We sincerely apologize for the lack of real-time updates and appreciate your patience as our teams investigated to address both the outages and the technical issues as quickly as possible,” said Elexicon.
Power Outages May Continue Into Friday
It said while significant progress has been made, some customers may remain without power due to localized outages, safety-related service disconnections or damage to customer-owned electrical equipment. Smaller outages may not always appear on the outage map.
“If your power remains out, please be assured we are actively working to restore service where possible. Some small pockets may remain without power due to damage to customer-owned equipment, if you suspect damage to your electrical equipment, do not attempt repairs yourself. Please contact a Licensed Electrical Contractor for assistance,” it advised.
“We would like to thank our dedicated crews, customer service representatives and support staff for their tireless efforts, as well as our customers for their patience and understanding throughout the restoration process. We will continue working until all customers have been safely restored,” it added.
Orange Heat Alert Continues
In an orange alert issued at 4:29 pm Thursday, Environment Canada forecast maximum temperatures of 31°C to 34°C, and potentially up to 37°C for some areas continuing through Saturday.
Hot and humid air can also bring deteriorating air quality and can result in the Air Quality Health Index approaching the high-risk category, it warned.
Take action to protect yourself and others.
Storm Aftermath
The big Canada Day thunderstorm and high winds in Brock township has now subsided. Township crews are conducting cleanup efforts across the community to deal with the fallen trees, downed branches, and storm-related debris on roads, parks, and municipal properties.
Residents are reminded that while crews are addressing debris located on municipal roads, boulevards, parks, and other municipal properties, the municipality is not responsible for the collection or removal of storm debris from private property.
Residents who have fallen branches and trees on their property can prepare their brush for the seasonal leaf and yard waste collection from the Region of Durham.