A large power failure left residents and businesses in north Waterloo, St. Jacobs and Conestogo as well as in Guelph and the Fergus area without electricity for several hours Wednesday.

According to Hydro One more than 10,000 of their customers lost power. However, that does not include the 35,000 people served by Waterloo North Hydro or the 25,000 served by Guelph Hydro.

Nancy Shaddick, community relations officer at Hydro One Networks, says a transmission line is believed to have been affected.

High winds and freezing rain were likely the source of the problem, impacting a transmission line that runs from the west side of Kitchener to Orangeville.

There are two lines along that route and the 230,000 volt line, which supplies the bulk of the power to the area, was affected.

The power went out around 2:30 p.m. and had returned across the region by 5:30 p.m., but not after causing headaches for drivers and business owners.

Getting to the scene of the problem and making repairs were hampered by the weather.

Hydro One would usually fly crews to the site, but the adverse weather conditions meant they had to travel via ground transportation.

It is unclear when power wil return in some small remaining pockets in Waterloo.