Hydro One Outage Affects Thousands in Ontario
A significant hydro one outage has impacted thousands of customers in Prescott and Russell, Ontario, following a severe freezing rainstorm that struck the region on March 11, 2026.
Initially, at around 2:30 pm on March 11, 369 Hydro One customers in Rockland were reported to be without electricity. The situation worsened as the storm progressed, with the number of outages escalating to 2,677 customers in areas including Wendover, Plantagenet, Riceville, and Fournier by 7:30 pm.
By 11 pm on the same day, the number of customers without service had decreased to 175, indicating some progress in restoration efforts. However, as of 2 pm on March 12, 20 customers were still affected by the outage.
Despite these improvements, more than 11,000 Hydro One customers were reported to be without power as of 1 pm on March 12, primarily in the Bancroft area. The ice storm, while less severe than initially projected, still caused significant disruptions across the region.
In addition to the power outages, a precautionary boil water advisory was issued for approximately 77,000 residents in part of the Gatineau sector after a treatment plant lost power. This advisory adds to the challenges faced by the community as they navigate the aftermath of the storm.
Furthermore, Hydro-Québec reported that about 30,000 of its customers were also without power earlier on March 12, highlighting the widespread impact of the weather event.
All western Quebec schools were closed on March 11 due to the storm, further illustrating the extent of the disruption caused by the freezing rain.
As recovery efforts continue, officials are working to restore power and ensure the safety of residents affected by the outages. Details remain unconfirmed regarding the full scope of the damage and the timeline for complete restoration.