The RVBIA was in attendance at yesterday’s meeting regarding the recent blackout. The meeting was hosted by our MPP Cheri diNovo and Councillor Gord Perks, who also happens to be on the board of Toronto Hydro. Also on the panel were representatives from Ontario Hydro and Hydro One.

The long and short of it is, the duration of our blackout was the result of a faulty Hydro One fire suppression system that inadvertently flooded the Toronto Hydro distribution cells at the Dufferin Street substation, which is a facility shared by Hydro One and Toronto Hydro. (Toronto Hydro does not use water in its fire suppression systems.) The water damaged the distribution cell that sends power to our neighbourhood. That distribution cell had to be repaired and dried out before it could be powered up.

Disturbingly, it was revealed that exactly the same thing happened during the big blackout of 2003, which explains why our neighbourhood was among the last to get its power back then.

At yesterday’s meeting, we got a commitment from Hydro One that the water based system will be replaced before the end of 2009. We are hopeful that this will mean that extended power outages will be a thing of the past for Roncesvalles Village and our neighbours in Parkdale and Davenport.

Minutes from the meeting, provided by Councillor Perks’ office, are available for download here.

Don’t forget the upcoming blackout meeting, organized by our local Residents’ Associations, at the Revue Cinema this Sunday, January 25th, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00.