Hydro One crews working to restore power to customers in Midland; 8,500 Hydro
One customers currently without power

TORONTO, June 24 /CNW/ - A tornado that touched down in the Midland area on Wednesday, June 23 caused a power outage impacting Hydro One customers. Currently, there are 8,500 Hydro One customers without power.

Hydro One crews were dispatched immediately to assess the damage so that restoration work could commence. Repair work will involve removal of fallen trees, replacement of downed poles and wires as well as the replacement of transformers.

110 Hydro One workers were dispatched at first light today to commence repair work. A Hydro One helicopter is patrolling power lines to assess damage and to help determine the priority of power restoration work. It is expected that the vast majority of customers will have their power restored today. The Company is also working with other local utilities, Midland Power Utility Corporate (PUC) and Powerstream in the restoration effort.

"Our people are on the ground now assessing and repairing damage from the intense weather system that resulted in a state of emergency for Midland," said Myles D'Arcey, Senior Vice President Customer Operations, Hydro One. "We will do everything possible to restore power to our customers quickly and safely."

Hydro One delivers electricity safely, reliably and responsibly to homes and businesses across the province of Ontario and owns and operates Ontario's 29,000 kilometre high-voltage transmission network that delivers electricity to large industrial customers and municipal utilities, and a 123,000 kilometre low-voltage distribution system that serves about 1.3 million end-use customers and smaller municipal utilities in the province. Hydro One is wholly owned by the Province of Ontario.

For further information: Hydro One Media Relations 24 hours a day at 1-877-506-7584 (toll-free in Ontario only) or 416-345-6868; Our website is www.HydroOne.com; Corporate Knights Magazine's 2010 social citizenship rankings can be viewed at www.corporateknights.ca