Hydro One sending crews to Florida in aftermath of Hurricane Irma

Hydro One is sending crews to Florida in an effort to support the millions of people left without power in the wake of hurricane Irma.

The operator of Ontario’s largest electricity distribution system says it’s getting ready to send 175 employees south.

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Nearly 4.5 million homes and businesses lost power in the storm that made landfall in the U.S. on Sunday, and utility officials say it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

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Hydro One says crews are expected to start crossing the border into the U.S. at about 6 p.m. Monday, and should reach the affected areas by Wednesday afternoon.

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It says it has “reciprocal agreements” in place across North America to provide assistance during significant power outages.