More than 400 electricity distribution workers from close to 30 Ontario utilities travelled in more than 200 vehicles to Long Island, New York and other areas of the Northeastern states to restore power to communities devastated by Hurricane Sandy.
Ontario crews had just finished restoring power to their own customers after the massive storm made its way through Ontario on October 29, when it became clear that utilities to the south were experiencing a much greater crisis. Millions of customers were without power and utilities south of the border faced an enormous task to repair a devastated electricity grid.
"We connected with our sister associations the American Public Power Association and the Edison Electric Institute in the United States to coordinate assistance. They confirmed that there was an urgent need for help," said Charlie Macaluso, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Electricity Distributors Association, adding that some Ontario utilities had already been contacted by their counterparts in the U.S. "We put out the call to see if anyone could spare emergency crews and our members responded quickly with offers to assist."
Utilities from across Ontario sent crews to the devastated area, including personnel from as far away as Northeastern Ontario. Some Ontario utilities not directly involved in the effort offered back-up in Ontario to those utilities that sent crews.
There is a similar story in the natural gas sector. For the first time in the company’s history, Union Gas was able to help a U.S. gas distribution company, National Grid, with frontline emergency response. In the days following the storm, people on both sides of the border worked around the clock to mobilize the support needed through the Canadian Gas Association's and American Gas Association’s Mutual Aid Agreements. Two Union Gas teams were deployed from Ontario to travel over 700 kilometers to help National Grid with recovery efforts.
“What made this outcome different from previous efforts was a high degree of international cooperation between companies, various levels of government and gas associations,” said Mike Shannon, vice president, Operations, for Union Gas. “All came together to allow for mutual assistance to occur.”
U.S. officials report that at its peak, Hurricane Sandy knocked out power to 9.6 million customers in the Northeastern U.S.
Our civilization rests in the hands of anonymous men and women wearing awkward rubber gloves, up in a bucket on a cold Sunday night in November, making sure that the lights stay on.
— Adapted from a blog by Peter Eicher, writing in Computerworld.
"A special tip of the hardhat to the linemen from Aerial Contractors of Salmon Arm and Vernon, British Columbia, who endured an 80-hour trip in their bucket trucks to get to Long Island where they restored electricity in a certain neighborhood. They were part of the hundreds of crews from all over the U.S. and Canada who helped get the power flowing again, and we salute them all."
– Samuel Glasser, Black & Veatch
EDA member utilities participating in the Hurricane Sandy power restoration efforts in the US:
Brant County Power, Burlington Hydro, Cambridge and North Dumfries Hydro, Canadian Niagara Power, Centre Wellington Hydro, Cornwall Electric, Enersource Hydro Mississauga, Entegrus Powerlines, Enwin Utilities, Erie Thames Powerlines, Essex Powerlines, Greater Sudbury Hydro, Guelph Hydro Electric Systems, Halton Hills Hydro, Horizon Utilities, Hydro One, Hydro Ottawa, Kingston Hydro, Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro, London Hydro, Milton Hydro, Oakville Hydro, Orangeville Hydro, Orillia Power, Powerstream, Toronto Hydro, Veridian Connections, Waterloo-North Hydro, Woodstock Hydro.
Many utilities in Ontario also contributed at home by offering assistance to back up utilities with crews in the U.S. should the need arise.