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Power Restored to 100,000 customers - 50,000 Hydro One customers remain without power; cottagers warned to stay away from downed power lines

August 4, 2006 — Hydro One confirms it has now restored power to 100,000 customers since Wednesday evening. Approximately 50,000 customers remained without power Friday at midday.

"Safety should be your primary concern as you arrive at the cottage this weekend," said Myles D'Arcey, Senior Vice President, Customer Operations, Hydro One. "Hydro One strongly urges people to take extra precaution should they discover fallen power lines on their properties. Even if a fallen wire is not sparking, it may still be energized and dangerous. People are urged to report to Hydro One the location of the fallen wires as soon as possible."

Approximately 1,100 field staff have been deployed to undertake restoration work. Seven helicopters will continue to conduct aerial surveys of system damage and assist with restoration activities today. Hydro One crews report thousands of downed poles and trees on lines and, in some areas, impassable roads.

Hydro One estimates that the majority of customers will have power restored by Sunday. However, it is expected remote or water-access properties may not have power until Monday or Tuesday of next week.

"We will continue to work tirelessly to restore power to the remaining areas," said Mr. D'Arcey. "On behalf of Hydro One and its employees, I would like to thank our customers and affected communities for the patience and support they continue to extend our field staff." he added.

Important Safety Information

Hydro One strongly urges people to take extra caution near fallen power lines. Even if a fallen wire seems dead, it can be dangerous. People are urged to report to Hydro One the location of the fallen wires as soon as possible. Touching a vehicle that is in contact with a power line can be fatal.

Restoring Power to Customers with Customer-Owned Equipment

Hydro One advises customers that their privately-owned electrical equipment may have sustained damage in this week's storm. If you know that your customer-owned equipment is damaged, you will need to hire a qualified electrical contractor to undertake necessary repair work who will then arrange for the required ESA inspection and Hydro One reconnection to restore your power.

For the most recent information on power outages go to www.HydroOneNetworks.com.

Hydro One owns and operates Ontario's 28,400 kilometre high-voltage transmission network that delivers electricity to large industrial customers and municipal utilities, and a 122,000 kilometre low-voltage distribution system that serves about 1.2 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.