Ontario Power Generation

Water Safety

Stay Clear, Stay Safe
The safety of the public and our staff is Ontario Power Generation's number one priority. Ontario Power Generation operates 65 hydroelectric stations and 231 dams on 24 river systems. Most of these facilities are remotely controlled.

As demand for electricity rises and falls throughout each day, operators stationed many kilometres away open and close dams, and start and stop generating units as needed. This results in frequent and rapid changes in water levels and flows around our facilities - changes that can affect your safety.

A spot that looks calm and safe one moment can become dangerous within a few seconds as water levels and flows change, often without warning. Calm waters or a dry riverbed could change quickly into one with rapidly moving, dangerous waters.

For your own safety near a hydroelectric dam or station, make sure that you:

Obey all warning signs, fences, buoys, booms and barriers. They are put there to protect you. The areas inside are dangerous, stay clear of them.
Stay a safe distance outside of warning signs, buoys, booms and barriers when fishing, boating or swimming.
Stay well back from the edge of waters above and below hydroelectric dams and stations.
Never stand below a dam, or anchor or tie your boat there. Rapidly changing water levels and flows can take you by surprise and could swamp your boat or put you in the grip of an undertow.

Resource Materials

Please take a few moments to review our Stay Clear, Stay Safe brochure, which describes the safety precautions you need to take when near hydroelectric stations and dams. (Also available in French.) Additional water safety resources can be found through the links below as well as to the right.