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8 - Thse Canadien Champion, Tuesday, Januaiy 27, 1998 Mon Hydro boss: Ice storm would have caused havoc here By BRAD REAUME The Champion Il Could happeiliec. According 10 Milton Hydro general manager Don Thorne, south central Ontario wouid be just as powerless as Quebec and eastern Ontaro in the event of a serious ice storm. The storms which ravaged a triangle from Kingston t0 Ottawa 10 southeast of Montreai have kept some places without power since January 4. 'Me army has been called in 10 keep the peace and heip with dlean-up operations. Food is running low, farmers are having trouble keeping live- stock alive and many people are holed up in shelters. According 10 Mr. Thorne the electrical distribution system in Milton would col- lapse given the samne conditions experi- enced around Montreal. He said testing the load-bearing abilities of poles and wires can be a complicated procedure, because as ice thickness builda the surface area of the wires increases, making the wires more susceptible 10 wind. The increased weight also figures mbt the equation. Generaliy the distribution poles are designed 10 withstand the worst storm in any 50 year period, he said, whioh is esti- mated 10 be about 50 millimeters of ice. However, Iis stormn laid eastern Ontario and parla of Quebec under more than 75 millimeters of ice. In some places il was as much as 100 millimeters (four inches) whicb coated trees, buildings, automobiles and power lines. Eveiy one of Milton's 7,000 distribution poies have been tested, said Mr. l'homne. He said it is possible 10 put distribution lines underground but it is a very expen- ive proceas. Turner talks efromn DECADE on page 5 but suggested they carefully choose their invesîments and then it tight for five yeara. He tresaed the need 10 diversify. "In thse long termi nothing bas cbanged," he aaid. 'Those who worry, however, wil be rattled." Mr. Turner said thse current market bas not turned down but bas definitely becomne more volatile and wiil likely remain so, with some sectora doing well and others doing pooriy. Mr. Turner aaid planning for retirement is especialiy important when people are living wellinmb their 80s. "Someone who is 65 is going 10 live for 20 years or more. In the past you would retire aI 65 and live until you were 72 or so," hie said. Il is surprising 10 some peo- pie how long tbey are likeiy 10 live." Mr. Turner dismissed concernas about Ibhere being too much invesîmnent money for Canadian companies 10 effectively invest. He said there are stili huge inveat- ment opportunities around the worid foi Canadian companies, especiaily wher millions of people have stili not uaeda telephone. He suggested professionai financial adviaors for ail but tbose witb thse intereat and time to consider tise more tban 1 ,600 mutual funda and otber investment vebi- cles. He said there is simply 100 muel information for thse average person to absorb. Mr. Turner said! he is a believer in thse major mutual funds, noting "It's bard to mess with success." He also made it very clm ear is simply an educator, and not in dmeemploy of any financial comnies "I'm interested to see what solutions corne out of this," he said. -We'll have to tlnoik about what weI do. Mr. Thorne said impioving the distribu- tion system is oniy one avenue which could be used to couniter the threat of future ice storms. Understanding how much coordination of response would have heiped is part of the answer concerning the future of the system, he said. It may be that repair crews can be organized to respond 10 such an emergency very quickiy, rendering the huge expense of buryîng tise cables unnec- essary, he explained. Ontario i0ft HALTON HULS Mi LIO N It's ail speculation right now," he said. -Even in Ontario now we have areas wIiich ae rice~(kd [o a higher standard than, say, older areas." Mr. Thorne said this issue wiii loom large in future system planning. He added that much public input is required. "We have to, insure customers; don't have to endure this again," he said. "As far as I'm concemed it's an unacceptabie situa- tion." Mr. Thome said much of the cuntent dif- ficuity in Quebec and eastern Ontario is attnibutabieto tihe "complicating factor" of failing tree branches. Halton Urban Structure Plan Implementation Notice of Public Meeting Date: Thursday, February 5, 1998 Location: Bishop Reding High School, Cafetorium 1600 Main Street East, Milton Public Meeting and Open House 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Disptays 7:30 p.m. (sharp) Presentation Landowners information Session 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Displays 3:30 p.m. (sharp) Presentation information Topics: Local & Regional Planning Approvals Provincial Planning Approvals (Parkway Beit West Plan) Master Water & Wastewater Servicing Plan Financial Policies & Requirements Development Charge Development Phasing Options & Selection Criteria Timing of Key Decisions & Next Steps à# Contacts: Halton - Dave McCleary, 905-825-6161 Milton - Mel lovio, 905-878-7211 Oakvlle - Ted Salisbury, 905-845-6601 (ext. 4185) Burlington - Mike Hall, 905-335-7600 (ext. 7630) is e w Halton Hilis - Bruce MacLean, 905-873-2601 (ext. 296) Province - John Marshall, 416-585-6090 Region of Halton Website: www.region.haiton.on.ca