A midday power outage on February 5, 2025, caused by a squirrel making contact with electrical equipment, left approximately 5,000 residents and office workers in downtown Toronto without power for several hours. The incident began at around 1:30 p.m., affecting the Financial District, Entertainment District, and areas between Queen Street West, Spadina Avenue, and Yonge Street.
Hydro One reported the outage was triggered by the squirrel, which interacted with a transformer at the John Transmission Station. This caused a breaker to fail, resulting in the widespread power loss. Hydro One stated, "John Transmission Station has a number of barriers to keep animals safe and out of the station. We will look at additional measures to put in place to prevent future incidents of this nature." The incident starkly highlights the vulnerabilities present within the urban electrical infrastructure.
Power was gradually restored back by approximately 5:00 p.m., but not before significant disruptions were experienced across the downtown core. Toronto Hydro worked diligently alongside Hydro One to manage the restoration efforts. According to their updates, teams were dispatched to the site to address the situation and restore the electrical supply.
The outage impacted major commercial properties, including the PATH network, and forced OCAD University to temporarily close its campus located at 230 Richmond St. W. due to a lack of power. The university announced via its social media channels, "OCAD University has temporarily closed its campus at 230 Richmond St. due to the power outage, but we are working to reopen as soon as possible." CBC Toronto's headquarters at Front Street also experienced power loss, which was restored around 3:50 p.m.
One notable casualty of the disruption was the afternoon performance of "The Lion King" at the Princess of Wales Theatre. The show was canceled just 20 minutes after it started due to the power outage. Mirvish Productions stated, "Right now we are contacting all audience members affected and arranging for them to see a future performance of the show at their convenience." The 7:00 p.m. performance was expected to go on as scheduled, demonstrating the theatre's ability to manage contingency plans through their backup generator, though it was not sufficient for the entirety of the production.
The incident on February 5, 2025, was not isolated. Reports indicate squirrels were responsible for approximately 80 outages across Toronto's electrical infrastructure throughout 2023, highlighting the challenge posed by wildlife on electrical systems. Birds and raccoons also contributed to outages during the same year, adding complexity to the operations of city utilities as they strive to maintain reliable service amid such unpredictable incidents.
The Toronto power outage serves as a reminder of the possible hazards lurking within urban power networks. Historically, Toronto has faced numerous power disruptions, some caused by wildlife but others by technological failures and severe weather conditions. On February 1, 2024, for example, a raccoon triggered another major blackout affecting thousands.
This latest interruption is prompting discussions beyond restoration. City officials and utility companies are evaluating how to bolster infrastructure and mitigate risks associated with wildlife. The increased pressure on electric grids due to climate change and the growing population of the region makes this issue only more urgent.
Overall, as residents and officials reflect on the events of February 5, it’s understood there is more work to be done to protect the city's electrical infrastructure from unexpected animal interactions. The concerted efforts of utilities and community awareness will be key moving forward to prevent future occurrences like this one.