Battery Loan Pilot Program
If you have received a mailed notification that your planned outage qualifies for the battery pilot program, you can reserve your battery pack now - or at the latest, three business days prior to the planned outage taking place.
About the Battery Loan Pilot Program
The Battery Loan Pilot Program is offered as a complimentary service to ease the inconveniences related to extended power outages by allowing you to power small electronic devices, such as internet routers, computers and cell phones, for the duration of the outage.
The portable battery packs are compact, easy to use, and safe for indoor use.
How the Battery Loan Pilot Program works
Reserve a battery pack on MyAccount at least three business days before the planned outage. If you've not yet registered for MyAccount, you will be prompted to do so.
Once registered and approved, you will receive an email with the battery pack's drop off and pick up date, and details.
On the specified date, a Hydro Ottawa representative or contractor will drop off the battery pack, fully charged. Please ensure someone is home the morning of the planned outage.
Once your power is restored, we will pick up the battery pack at your door that same day.
How to use your battery pack
Frequently Asked Questions
Customers impacted by planned outages due to underground cable replacement will receive advanced notice by mail with instructions on how to reserve their battery. At least three business days before the outage, visit hydroottawa.com/battery, fill out the online form and submit your request. You will receive an email confirmation advising you of the drop date and details.
There are no fees associated with joining and taking part in this pilot, however, if a pickup attempt is made and the battery is not returned to us following the completion of the outage, a late fee of $18 per day will be charged to your Hydro Ottawa bill.
No, this pilot program is intended specifically for Hydro Ottawa residential customers affected by planned outages due to underground cable replacement work. This kind of planned maintenance is controlled and affects a small number of homes for a prescribed period of time, making the supply and delivery for this battery loan pilot program feasible.
Your health and safety is important to us. We will be taking extra measures to ensure that your battery packs are delivered and picked-up in the safest manner possible. This includes ensuring masks and gloves are worn during delivery and that the battery pack is thoroughly sanitised before drop-off. Door-step delivery and pickup will also respect physical distancing guidelines.
Technical specifications are included in the manufacturer’s manual, available here.
Only one battery pack can be made available for each household.
Although the battery packs are designed to withstand wear and tear from regular indoor use, we expect you to treat them with care. During the signup process, you will be required to read and accept the battery pilot program’s terms and conditions. You are responsible for the battery pack while it is in your possession and will incur a cost of repair or $1,800 to replace the product if lost, stolen, or damaged beyond repair.
For the most part, the battery pack does not emit any noticeable sound. At times, you may hear low-level sounds of the battery’s internal cooling fan.
The battery pack has convenient carrying handles and weighs 30 pounds.
Customers need to be available to receive a battery pack the morning of the outage. Specific instructions will be outlined in the confirmation email you will receive upon signing up.
We will come by to pick up the battery pack after the power has been restored. Specific instructions will be outlined in the confirmation email you will receive upon signing up.
If you received a battery pack containing less than a 90 per cent charge, or one that is not functioning, contact [email protected].
If you applied and did not receive the battery pack on the morning of the outage, contact [email protected].
Contact [email protected] immediately and we will arrange for another pickup attempt. Be aware that if you do not promptly initiate contact and make an effort to return the battery pack, you will incur a late fee of $18 for every day that it is late
The battery pack will be delivered with usage instructions attached to the battery pack.
The battery pack is intended to help keep only your most essential electronics connected (such as a WiFi router, laptop, cell phone, etc.) for the duration of the planned outage. However, the life of your battery pack will depend on the amount of energy required by the items that are plugged into it. We recommend you regularly monitor your battery life indicator on the battery pack’s display.
While the battery pack does support charging other electronics, it is important to note that the energy demand of your devices can dramatically affect the charge duration of the battery. We recommend you regularly monitor your battery life indicator on the battery pack’s display.
Yes, if you have access to a live outlet, you may recharge your portable battery pack. Users should follow all the instructions found in the manufacturer’s manual, available here.
Users should follow all the operations instructions found in the manufacturer’s manual, available here.
When the charge has depleted, it takes approximately 1.7 hours to fully recharge the battery pack using a standard 120V outlet.
Safety information and guidelines can be found in the manufacturer’s manual, available here.
According to the manufacturer, the average laptop will run for 16 hours, and you can charge the average cell phone up to 100 times.