Canada: Power outages can disrupt homes and businesses, but understanding their causes can provide clarity. Data collected across the service area in 2025 shows the five leading reasons for interruptions and how they are managed.
- Loss of supply – Fifteen outages were caused when electricity could not reach local distribution lines. This usually occurs when high-voltage transmission lines fail, cutting off power from generators. Transmission operators respond quickly, so these outages are often brief.
- Adverse weather – Severe storms and extreme weather knocked down poles and snapped lines, causing 52 outages. Lessons learned from past events have helped improve construction standards and strengthen the grid.
- Tree contact – Trees and branches caused 78 interruptions this year. By trimming over 60,000 trees annually and using infrared technology to monitor high-risk areas, outages from tree contact have been reduced by 44 %.
- Equipment failure – Ageing infrastructure and worn equipment led to 140 outages. Investments in repairs, replacements, and inspections aim to reduce these incidents. Customers are encouraged to report damaged poles or frayed wires.
- Foreign interference – The most frequent cause, with 144 outages, includes balloons, vehicles, and excavation accidents. But wildlife is the main culprit: squirrels, birds, and raccoons caused 103 interruptions. Breakers detect animal contact to prevent longer outages, while Wildlife Protectors help keep them safe.
Understanding these causes helps utilities respond quickly and maintain a reliable electricity supply while reducing future disruptions.
Source: Hydro Ottawa
