In a presentation to the media last Monday, Toronto Hydro described the aftermath of the city's December ice storm as "the most disruptive incident" the company has ever faced. At it's peak, the storm resulted in the loss of power to approximately 300,000 Toronto Hydro customers. And while power was restored to almost 75 per cent of those customers within 48 hours, some households remained without power until New Year's day.
And despite the
frustrations of some homeowners, there's no denying that Hydro crews were working furiously to remove hazards and repair damage (Toronto Hydro maintained 24/7 operations for a total of 13 days). In fact, a recent poll by Forum Research shows an 82 per cent public approval rating for Toronto Hydro's ice storm performance.
But, as is often the case when dealing with a disruptive incident unlike any other that has come before, Toronto Hydro admits that there are some things that could have gone more smoothly.
At Monday's press briefing on the ice storm and its aftermath, Toronto Hydro announced the convening of an expert panel "that will oversee a review of the utility's response to the ice storm that seriously damaged the electricity grid in neighbourhoods across Toronto on December 21 and 22, 2013." Toronto Hydro also announced that it will perform it's own internal audit and will compile it with results from the independent review.
The panel will be chaired by David J. McFadden, a former conservative MP who examined the 2003 blackout, and will include City Manager Joe Pennachetti, and Sean Conway, an energy expert from Ryerson University and former Chair of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE).
"We do have things we can improve upon," said Toronto Hydro CEO Anthony Haines at Monday's briefing. "...We're fairly pleased with what has happened, and our response to what was really a very catastrophic weather event, one that you heard me talk about being one of the most major weather events in Toronto Hydro's history."
The panel will oversee a review of Toronto Hydro's storm response that will be conducting by energy consulting firm, Davies Consulting. The final report will cover everything from electricity grid design to emergency response to customer communications.
Writer: Katia Snukal
Source: Toronto Hydro
Photo courtesy of CNW Group/Toronto Hydro Corporation.