A widespread power outage in Kingston left more than 13,000 customers without electricity overnight, with Utilities Kingston listing the incident as verified and the cause still under investigation early Saturday morning.
The outage, shown on the Utilities Kingston power map, covered a large area across central Kingston and nearby neighbourhoods. A map notice visible early Saturday listed 13,432 customers affected, with 13,432 still remaining without power at the time of the update.
The outage case was listed as unplanned, with power shown as off from 3:33 a.m. The Utilities Kingston outage screen showed the status as verified, while the cause was marked under investigation. The estimated time of restoration was shown as to be determined on the map, although local reports circulating on X earlier in the morning pointed to an initial restoration estimate of 6:45 a.m.
Images and posts shared from Kingston before sunrise showed parts of the city in darkness, with only scattered lights visible across the skyline. One local update said the central downtown area appeared to have power again, while much of the rest of Kingston remained blacked out.
The outage area shown on the map stretched across a broad section of the city, including areas around central Kingston, Williamsville, Kingscourt, Strathcona Park, Portsmouth, Calvin Park, Queen’s University and nearby neighbourhoods. The red-shaded outage zone on the map suggested a major disruption rather than an isolated street-level fault.
Utilities Kingston outage map shows a verified disruption
Utilities Kingston’s public outage system listed the event under case number 9696. The outage was updated at 4:48 a.m. on May 16, 2026, according to the map screen, and the utility had not yet posted a confirmed cause at that time.
Residents can check the latest official status through the Utilities Kingston outage page, which directs customers to current and planned outage information for power and water service interruptions.
The same page advises customers to call 613-546-1181 if an outage is not displayed or if they have new related information to report. Utilities Kingston also reminds customers that utility emergencies should be reported by phone, not by email or social media.
Outage details from the map: The incident was listed as unplanned, verified, and under investigation, with 13,432 customers affected and restoration time still to be determined on the outage map screen.
Downtown power appears to return first as wider blackout continues
Local posts from the early morning suggested that some parts of central downtown Kingston had power again while other neighbourhoods remained dark. That pattern can happen during larger outages when service is restored in sections, but Utilities Kingston had not confirmed a full restoration timeline in the map notice shown in the screenshots.
Kingston is served by multiple electricity providers depending on the area, including Utilities Kingston, Hydro One and Eastern Ontario Power. Customers outside the Kingston Hydro service area may need to check their own provider’s outage tools before reporting a disruption.
Hydro One customers can use the Hydro One Storm Centre for outage information, while Utilities Kingston customers should continue checking the official local outage map for the latest case status.
Residents affected by the outage should avoid downed wires, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed where possible, and use flashlights instead of candles when moving around dark homes. If traffic lights are out, intersections should be treated as all-way stops until normal service returns.
For now, the key figure remains the scale of the disruption: 13,432 customers affected in a verified Kingston outage, with the official cause still under investigation and restoration information dependent on further updates from the utility.
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