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BE SAFE: Toronto Hydro reminds the public to be aware of electrical hazards on the street and around the home this winter
Toronto Hydro is launching our annual "Be Safe" campaign to remind the public to stay safe around all outdoor electrical equipment. Whether customers are walking pets, cleaning out eaves troughs, trimming a tree, or hanging up lights in preparation for the holidays,Toronto Hydro wants to remind people of the risks involved:
Contact Voltage
Contact voltage is an intermittent condition that exists when electricity or voltage is present on street equipment such as sidewalk handwells or hydro pole plate covers. It is more likely to be present during wet, icy and salty conditions. Freezing and thawing can cause underground wires and connections to shift, thereby disturbing wiring and creating conditions where short circuits and contact voltage can occur.
As we head into the winter season, Toronto Hydro wants pedestrians to be aware of, and report contact voltage to the utility at its dedicated contact voltage hotline at 416.222.3773. This initiative is part of the overall contact voltage remediation strategy, which includes proactive maintenance, street scanning and replacing handwell lids with non-conductive covers.
When possible, pedestrians and their pets should avoid contact with electrical equipment like streetlight poles and handwells. Pedestrians should always be aware of electrical fixtures including signage and lighting.
Look Up, Look Down
Pedestrians and workers should always be aware of their surroundings and of the location of power lines. When planning home improvement projects that involve excavation work, please call the underground service locators to have Toronto Hydro identify and mark any underground power lines. Every time you dig, you run the risk of hitting cable, phone gas lines or electrical wires.
Everyone should look up. Wires connecting a customer's house to the main electricity lines can sometimes droop, making it easier for contact to be made with overhead power lines. For example, if a person is carrying an aluminum ladder outdoors, Toronto Hydro cautions that it will act as a conductor if it makes contact with power lines. Always carry a ladder horizontally. Contact with a live wire can cause severe injury.
Keep Back, Know Your Limits
Always stay back at least 20 ft. from all power lines - both exposed underground power lines and overhead wires. To report a wire down, call Toronto Hydro at (416) 542-8000. And, if overgrown trees are in close proximity to a power line, Forestry crews at Toronto Hydro are trained to prune around power lines on private property. There is no cost for this service if the tree is too close to our high voltage equipment. Call Toronto Hydro's Forestry department at (416) 542-7800.
EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION
Customer Care, Emergencies and Power Outages:
(416) 542-8000, press #1
Forestry: (416) 542-7800
Call before you dig: (416) 542-3344 (former East York, North York, Scarborough); (905)709-1717 (former Etobicoke, downtown Toronto)
For more information or to learn more about electrical safety, please visit torontohydro.com/safety
 Toronto Hydro's research on street lighting technology featured in Toronto Star
ALAMP, the Adaptive Lighting Asset Management Program, was initiated by Toronto Hydro's Energy Street Lighting Division to research, test and implement new street lighting technology and controls in the City of Toronto. The Toronto Star recently did a great feature on our project and what it means for the City of Toronto. See http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1092896 full story.
Town Hall Meetings
In November, Toronto Hydro hosted four Town Hall meetings across the city. These meetings presented an opportunity to discuss the current state of our electricity system and some of the improvements we are making to better serve our customers. Our staff were on hand to answer customers' questions and hear their feedback.
Thank you to all those who attended and helped spread the word to constituents!
Wards 12, 16, 28, 42
Approximately 1200 residents will benefit from six new rebuild initiatives. Residents living in these neighbourhoods were notified by letter containing important information about the overhead or underground electrical upgrades. In the event of planned power outages, advanced notice will be provided.
Ward 12: Projects Culford/Arrowsmith/Flamborough - Overhead Rebuild
January 2012 is the anticipated start time for three overhead rebuild projects in this area. The boundaries include: Lawrence Avenue (North), Greenbrook Drive (South), Keele Street (East) and Black Creek Drive (West). Toronto Hydro will replace aging infrastructure including hydro poles and transformers to help increase service reliability to the area.
The overhead projects will benefit approximately 700 customers - many of whom are experiencing short, frequent outages. Toronto Hydro and our civil contractor, Transpower Utility Contractors Incorporated, will work hard to minimize road and sidewalk congestion and noise on residential streets. To help ensure the project runs smoothly, Toronto Hydro and SNC Lavalin will be on site daily.
Ward 16: Bathurst Lawrence Phase 2 - Overhead Rebuild
As part of Toronto Hydro's infrastructure rebuild initiative, we are installing new overhead equipment in the Bathurst and Glencairn area. This overhead rebuild is part of Toronto Hydro's ongoing efforts to modernize the distribution grid and identify aging infrastructure throughout Toronto. Construction for Project Bathurst Lawrence Phase 2 began in October 2011 and is scheduled to be completed by May 2012. The project involves replacing existing poles and installing new poles and overhead equipment. The boundaries for this work are Coldstream Avenue (North), Hillhurst Boulevard (South), Proudfoot Avenue (East) and Bathurst Street (West).
Ward 28: Project 330 King Street - Underground Rebuild
Toronto Hydro will energize the King East Designer Condominium at 330 King Street East. As part of this initiative, we will rebuild cable chambers and underground direct buried cables on King Street between Parliament Street and Ontario Street. This underground rebuild will help significantly increase the system reliability for the community and benefit over 18 commercial customers. In addition, Project 330 King Street aims to benefit the hundreds of future customers who will reside at The King East Designer Condominium. Project 330 King Street commenced in early November and is expected to be complete by late December 2011.
Ward 42: Project Morningside - Underground Rebuild
Toronto Hydro will rebuild the underground electrical system along Morningside Avenue.The work involves replacing underground direct buried cables in a commercial and industrial area along Morningside Avenue. The boundaries for this project include Morningview Drive (North), Sheppard Avenue (South), Venture Drive (East) and Morningside Avenue (West). It is anticipated this underground rebuild project will benefit over 20 commercial and industrial customers. Project Morningside began in October 2011 with completion expected by the end of January 2012.
For more information, please contact the PowerUp office at 416.542.2366,
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