Toronto Hydro Crews on Their Way to the US

TORONTO, Nov. 6, 2012 /CNW/ - Toronto Hydro, following the completion of Hurricane Sandy storm restoration efforts in Toronto, is now dispatching employees to assist with power restoration in the north eastern United States.

Sixty-five Toronto Hydro overhead power line and underground distribution network trades people, and supervisors, will be joining hydro crews in relief efforts.

"This level of deployment provides the operational flexibility necessary to provide effective maintenance and emergency response services to the citizens of Toronto over the coming weeks," says Ben LaPianta, Vice-President Distribution Grid Operations.

Forty-eight Toronto Hydro employees will be leaving early Wednesday morning and heading down to the US to aid National Grid with overhead power line restoration. Crews will check-in to a pre-staging location in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. They will then be deployed, by National Grid, to areas most in need.

An additional seventeen Toronto Hydro employees will be sent at the same time to help Consolidated Edison with its underground electricity network in Manhattan, New York.

Manhattan's underground electricity network infrastructure is of a similar vintage, type, and design to that of Toronto Hydro. Toronto Hydro's underground certified trades people have the necessary skills and experience with this network design.

"This specialized skill set is unique to these types of urban underground distribution systems. Our certified trades people have the necessary skills and experience to aid Consolidated Edison in their efforts and we are pleased that we are able to assist," adds LaPianta.

About Toronto Hydro 
The principal business of the Corporation and its subsidiaries is the distribution of electricity by Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited. Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited owns and operates an electricity distribution system, which delivers electricity to approximately 712,000 customers located in the City of Toronto.  It is the largest municipal electricity distribution company in Canada and distributes approximately 18% of the electricity consumed in the Province of Ontario.

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SOURCE: Toronto Hydro Corporation