August 30, 2022

How a Hydro One loss of electricity supply impacts Elexicon Energy

As an Elexicon Energy customer, your first point of contact in a power outage is with us. But in some cases, the origin of the issue is not with Elexicon, as there are other stakeholders responsible for producing and transmitting the energy that flows into your home.

HydroOne loss of supply

The first step is to understand each of the major components in the electricity grid.

The Electricity Grid

  • Generation – Power plants produce electricity through renewable resources, nuclear power, and fossil fuels. An example is a Hydro-Electric Generating Station.
  • Transmission – The electricity is converted to a high voltage so it can be transmitted far distances. An example is Hydro One Networks.
  • Distribution – Electricity is sorted into buildings, homes, and facilities on the grid. An example is Elexicon Energy.
  • Energy Buyers – When a building turns on the power, the electricity arrives reliably and safely. Examples are wholesalers and retailers.

The electricity Elexicon delivers to your home is supplied to us by Hydro One. When there is a power outage, Elexicon will investigate the source, but if there is a problem with the electricity transmitted by Hydro One, it is out of our control.

A recent example of this was with the severe storm that swept across Ontario on May 21. The high winds caused a lot of damage, and Elexicon crews were immediately dispatched to the area. We had downed poles, damaged transformers, and even a substation that was all but destroyed.

At the same time, Hydro One equipment also sustained a great deal of damage. Our crews worked alongside Hydro One’s crews, prioritizing the repairs that would have the greatest impact for the most people. There were situations when we had to wait for Hydro One to complete their repairs before we could re-energize our equipment.

When you see Elexicon crews in your community during an outage, know that we are doing everything in our power to restore your electricity service as quickly and safely as possible. If your service does not resume immediately, it may be because we are relying on other providers in the electricity grid to resolve issues first, and we appreciate your patience and understanding.