Emergencies: Power Outages
The safety and reliability of electricity infrastructure is important to our customers. Periodically, scheduled service interruptions are required to perform system maintenance. If an outage is planned for your area, we’ll make our best effort to notify you. Check our web page on planned outages for details. Unplanned interruptions are usually a direct result of storm damage, motor vehicle accidents, animals, or other unexpected events.
Who do I call?
Utilities Kingston is available 24 hours a day to respond to power outages in the Kingston Hydro electricity distribution area. Phone us 24/7 at 613-546-1181. If you require electricity service in the west or east areas of the City, contact Hydro One at 1-800-434-1235.
Downed power lines
If you see a downed power line or tree branch that has fallen on a power line, always assume it's energized and dangerous. Stay away and report it immediately by calling 613-546-1181. This line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
How does Utilities Kingston respond to power outages?
When the power goes out, Utilities Kingston crews and operators work to reinstate power as quickly and safely as possible. This involves gathering information, assessing public and worker safety, ensuring work protection, identifying and gathering resources including manpower, trucks and equipment, and carrying out the work as efficiently and safely as possible.
Check our electrical safety page to learn what happens during a power outage – both out in the field and in our operations control centre.
Where does Utilities Kingston provide electricity services?
Utilities Kingston provides customer-focused and cost-effective multi-utility services in Kingston, Ontario, including safe and reliable electricity distribution services to over 27,000 customers in Central Kingston. While the service area is operated by the employees of Utilities Kingston, Kingston Hydro holds the Ontario Energy Board license to distribute electricity in Central Kingston. View a map of the service area.
How do I get updates on power outages?
- Check the home page of this site: during major events, we will make every effort to update information on a regular basis.
- Check our Facebook page and Twitter feed.
- During extended outages, residents may also monitor the local news media for updates.
- Listen to a recording of known power outages in our area by calling 613-546-1181.
Why does power sometimes flicker?
Ever wonder why electricity flickers during wind and lighting storms? Here’s an explanation from our utility operators! Lighting creates a surge of electricity in the surrounding area. This surge can trip a circuit breaker, which then automatically recloses, causing a very short duration outage. Wind slapping two adjacent wires together can also cause a breaker trip and automatic reclose.
What precautions should I take?
Residents are advised to take the following precautions:
- Turn off all appliances that will turn on automatically when power is restored.
- Plan ahead and consider a source of back-up power for important building systems, including sump pumps.
- Keep a phone that does not require electricity. Cordless phones require electricity or battery backup and may not work in a power outage. Take the opportunity when you do have power to charge critical electronic devices such as mobile phones.
- Know the steps you can take to keep your food safe in an emergency with this information from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
- Use caution when using open flames. Never leave burning candles unattended, and keep them well away from kids and pets.
- Do not use a propane barbeque, camp stove or portable standby generator indoors. They can generate dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. Your carbon monoxide detector may not work in an outage.
- Know safe installation and other precautions to avoid dangers associalted with generators. Review the section on portable standby generators below.
- Avoid elevators until the power has been stabilized.
- Power outages mean that a number of traffic signals may not be working and travellers are reminded to treat the affected intersections as though they are four-way stops and yield to traffic on the right.
- The City of Kingston offers a helpful resource to help you and your family prepare for an emergency. Check it out on their website. We recommend that all property owners maintain a kit which includes candles, a flashlight, batteries and a battery powered radio.
- Review these Stormy Weather Tips from the Electrical Safety Authority.
- Review this preventative information from City of Kingston Fire & Rescue on staying safe during a power outage.
Portable standby generators
Portable standby generators, when used properly, can provide an alternative power source until conventional power is restored. However, they can create electrical shock and fire hazards if connected or used incorrectly. In addition, you should never operate a generator inside your home or garage. Generators produce carbon monoxide, and if used indoors will cause a build-up of fatal fumes - fans or open windows and doors won't provide enough fresh air to keep you and your family safe.
- Never put a portable generator indoors, and when using it outdoors make sure it’s well away from your home’s windows or doors (and your neighbours’) because of poisonous carbon monoxide gas.
- Don’t connect your generator to your home’s wiring unless you have a transfer switch. If you hook it up directly it could cause power to flow back out the powerlines to the street and electrocute utility workers.
- If you’re installing a permanent generator, you need a permit. The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) recommends having a Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC) install a back-up generator. You can find an LEC at www.esasafe.com
Get more safety tips from the Electrical Safety Authority from their page on portable standby generators.
Damage to your home's electrical system
If you have serious damage to your home's electrical system, for example due to stormy weather, we may not be able to reconnect your power until you make repairs.
Typically, a homeowner’s ownership of electrical equipment begins where the wires attach to the house. This means the wire from the pole to the house is generally the utility’s, but the wires inside the mast/pipe, the mast, and those attached to and in the house belong to you. If this equipment is damaged, you need to arrange repairs before we can safely reconnect power. Learn more from the Electrical Safety Authority.
What to do when stormy weather hits, from the Electrical Safety Authority.
Safely use generators with this informative video from Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFi).
Help prevent snow and ice related problems with utility services.
How to detect a natural gas leak and stay safe.
Discover measures you can take to protect your basement from flooding and sewer back-ups.
Help ensure the reliability of utility equipment. Plant the right tree in the right place, with help from ESA.
Electrical safety in case of a flood from the Electrical Safety Authority.