On the morning of Wednesday, November 5, 2025, a major power outage struck the Moss Park neighborhood in Toronto, leaving nearly 600 residents without electricity.
The disruption was caused by an underground cable fault triggered by an accidental dig-in at a nearby construction site unrelated to Toronto Hydro.
“This wasn’t a planned interruption—construction work unrelated to Toronto Hydro had inadvertently damaged the utility’s infrastructure, setting off a chain of events that would test the company’s emergency response.” — el-balad.com
Toronto Hydro quickly mobilized teams and resources to address the outage. The repair effort was described as complex and time-consuming due to the difficulty of safely locating and repairing underground cables in a dense urban area.
Initial hopes targeted restoration by 8:30 a.m., but as the operation unfolded, technicians realized more time was necessary. The expected power reconnection was later pushed to 11:00 a.m.
“When the lights go out in a major city, the pressure mounts instantly.”
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges urban utilities face in managing and maintaining critical infrastructure amid complex city development activities.
Author’s summary: Toronto Hydro’s prompt but challenging response to an underground cable fault in Moss Park underscores the complexities of maintaining urban power infrastructure amid unforeseen construction impacts.