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General Information

Renovators/Contractors

If you're renovating your home, here are some helpful tips and useful advice regarding electrical service to keep in mind.

Renovation Electricity Checklist

  • Advise Hydro Hawkesbury Inc. at 613-632-6689.
  • Advise the Electrical Safety Authority at 1-877-372-7233
  • Allowing as much lead time as possible

Call Before You Dig

If you or your contractor plan to install a pool, fence, plant a tree, dig a garden, landscape, excavate, or add a room to a house, call Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255 to locate buried cables. This is a FREE service for excavators and homeowners, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Disconnection of Electricity Service

With the receipt of a written request from the homeowner (Outage Request Form), Hydro Hawkesbury Inc. will disconnect the supply of electricity to a vacant premise. If the service is disconnected for more than six months the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) may require that the service conform to its current code requirements when re-energised. We recommend you call the ESA at 1-877-372-7233 (1-877-ESA-SAFE) regarding possible electrical contractor work and ESA permit / inspection fees.

  • Be sure you or your contractor follows all local building codes, the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, bylaws and permit requirements.
  • All electrical work must be inspected and approved by the Electrical Safety Authority. This inspection must be done prior to covering any wiring with drywall or any other wall/ceiling materials.
  • Have a qualified electrician look at your electrical supply, panel and wiring to determine what alterations or additions will be required for your renovation and make arrangements for an electrical inspection.
  • Consider fire precautions in any renovation. Do you have multiple exits from your renovated space?. Can windows be used as exits?. Do you have fire extinguishers and smoke detectors installed?

Upgrading Service/Electrical Panel, Relocating Your Meter

If your renovations include upgrading your electrical service/panel and/or moving your electric meter outdoors, call our Customer Service Desk at (613) 632-6689.

Overhead Wires

If you’re renovating or remodelling the exterior of your home, remember an aluminum ladder, antenna or any other metal tool that contacts a power line can cause a neighbourhood power failure and result in severe injury or electrocution. Look up first!

Safety of Electrical Work

There are a number of regulations in place to ensure that electrical installations are safe:

  • An electrical inspection permit should be obtained from the Department of the Electrical Safety Authority of Ontario 1-877-372-7233, which is the authority responsible for ensuring compliance with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.
  • Equipment and materials installed as part of the work must be approved by the Canadian Standards Association or the Department of the Electrical Safety Authority of Ontario 1-877-372-7233.

Spring ice storm – from March 28 to 31, 2025

Information from Environment and Climate Change Canada
Description : Potent spring ice storm likely.

What:
Significant ice accretion from freezing rain. General ice accretion amounts of 5 to 15 mm, with amounts in excess of 20 mm possible. Possible snow and ice pellet accumulations of 5 to 15 cm. Possible utility outages. Slippery surfaces and broken tree branches from ice build-up.

When:
Late Friday into Monday.

Additional information:
Confidence is increasing in a widespread, prolonged freezing rain event over portions of southern and northeastern Ontario. The swath of maximum ice accretion is still uncertain at this point, but confidence is highest for an area from Sault Ste. Marie southeast through Parry Sound to Kingston. Warnings will be issued as the event draws nearer.

A break in the freezing rain is expected for most areas late in the day on Saturday into Saturday night before a second round of freezing rain begins.

REGIONAL AND LOCAL POWER OUTAGES MAY OCCUR