Braced
Menu

Backup power in Ottawa

Electricians for generators and transfer switches.

35 pros in Ottawa

These electricians serve Ottawa and say on their own websites that they install standby generators, transfer switches or Generlink-type hookups. Ottawa's outages explain the demand: the 2018 tornadoes interrupted 207,407 Hydro Ottawa customers and the May 2022 derecho 180,946 on the day. In Ontario, a permanent generator connection needs a notification of work filed with ESA and a transfer device, which a licensed contractor handles.

Sources: Hydro Ottawa (source, opens in a new tab), Hydro Ottawa (source, opens in a new tab)

Show

  20. Gentech

    Family owned since 1996, the generator shop works with Generac, Kohler, Briggs & Stratton and Champion units, covering standby generators, transfer switches and home battery backup, with financing available.

    • Website checked

    Rated 4.9 out of 5 135 Google reviews · Nov 2026

    (613) 742-8833Website Gentech (opens in a new tab)
Show 15 more

Not yet verified. We checked each one’s own website for this work, and the licence in the public register where one applies, but we haven’t contacted them yet. How a business gets listed

Know a good one we’re missing? Suggest one

What to know in Ottawa

  • In the major event of 5 April 2023, after a forecast of prolonged freezing rain, 163,448 Hydro Ottawa customers were interrupted, 45% of its customer base; 90% were restored by 3:25 a.m. on 7 April.

    Hydro Ottawa (source, opens in a new tab)

Before you hire

  1. In Ontario, connecting a generator permanently needs a notification of work filed with ESA and a transfer device; ESA strongly recommends a Licensed Electrical Contractor.

    Source: Electrical Safety Authority (source, opens in a new tab)

  2. Ask for the contractor’s ESA licence number, check it in ESA’s Find a Contractor tool, and ask for ESA’s Certificate of Acceptance when the job is done.

    Source: Electrical Safety Authority (source, opens in a new tab)

Questions about hiring in Ottawa

Who can connect a standby generator to my house?

ESA says a generator connected permanently to your home's wiring needs a transfer device and a notification of work filed with ESA, and it strongly recommends a Licensed Electrical Contractor. A licensed contractor files that notification for you, so the job has its permit. Ask for the contractor's licence number before you sign. Electrical Safety Authority (source, opens in a new tab)

How do I check an electrician's licence?

Ask for the licence number; ESA says it should also appear on the contractor's truck, business card and estimate. Then look it up in ESA's Find a Contractor tool. When the work is finished, ask for ESA's Certificate of Acceptance and keep it for your records and your insurer. Electrical Safety Authority (source, opens in a new tab)

What should a generator quote include?

Compare like with like: the generator's size and fuel, whether the switch is automatic or manual, which circuits it will feed, the pad or mounting, the gas or fuel connection and who files the notification of work. Ask each electrician to put those items in writing so the quotes cover the same job.

Does Hydro Ottawa have rules for home generators?

Hydro Ottawa's outage advice is not to connect a generator to your home's wiring unless a transfer switch has been professionally installed, and to have a standby generator and its transfer switches professionally grounded and installed. That keeps power from flowing back into the lines while crews work. Hydro Ottawa (source, opens in a new tab)

Other jobs and cities

Other jobs in Ottawa

Backup power in other cities