Hydro One says tens of thousands of its customers in southwestern Ontario lost power after Wednesday's winter storm and some might have to wait until Friday night for it to be restored.
The utility says more than 33,000 customers are without power as of this afternoon.
Tiziana Baccega-Rosa, a spokesperson for Hydro One, says communities along the shorelines of Lake Erie, including Aylmer, Essex, and Kent townships, are among the hardest hit areas.
She says 25 hydro poles came down in Aylmer due to strong winds and ice buildup, leaving nearly 7,000 customers in the area without power their electricity isn't expected to be restored until late Friday.
Hydro One's outage map also shows more than 20,000 customers in Essex are expected to remain without power for much of today.
Baccega-Rosa says Hydro One has diverted staff from the regions that have not been affected, and is working with other contactors, to restore power lines in affected areas as soon as possible.
About 300 customers remain without power in Niagara this afternoon. Click here to find out more.