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Hydro One investing approximately $4 million improving reliability in Timmins

June 29, 2006 — Hydro One is investing about $4 million to improve power delivery reliability to customers in the Timmins area.

This work includes a major $3.1 million voltage conversion project that involved transferring approximately 750 customers who were supplied by the old low-voltage Vimy Distribution Station to the high-voltage Timmins Transformer Station. As part of this project Hydro One replaced about 110 poles, and five kilometers of wire between Vimy Avenue and Columbus Avenue.

Planned power outages were conducted last weekend in Timmins along Highway 655 just north of Ross Avenue and in the lower Melrose subdivision so lines staff could work safely while replacing over 450 insulators. These were suspect insulators that could fail resulting in prolonged unplanned power outages.

Hydro One crews are also completing the relocation of six kilometers of line along Highway 101 as requested by Porcupine Joint Venture. The relocation was necessary to accommodate the company's new open pit mine east of Porcupine. Six Hydro One lines staff including three apprentices were involved in the project which began April 3, 2006.

"These work programs will significantly upgrade reliability to customers in the area," said Hydro One Timmins Customer Operations Manager Mark Bender. "This work is a reflection of Hydro One's commitment to investing in its power delivery system and providing a high level of service."

Over the past five years Hydro One has invested about $4.5 billion in capital projects and maintenance to sustain and upgrade its high-voltage transmission and low-voltage distribution systems throughout the province. It plans to invest an additional $5.5 billion in system maintenance and upgrades over the next five years.

Hydro One delivers electricity safely, reliably and responsibly to homes and businesses across the province of Ontario and owns and operates Ontario's 28,000 kilometre high-voltage transmission network that delivers electricity to large industrial customers and municipal utilities, and a 125,000 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 Ontario Government.

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For more information and to make arrangements for photography, contact Hydro One Media Relations 24 hours a day at 1-877-506-7584 (toll-free in Ontario only) or 416-345-6868. Our Web site is www.HydroOne.com.