Aging power cables are causing blackouts in north Scarborough but the area's entire underground distribution system will be replaced over the next two or three years, a senior Toronto Hydro manager says.

Reliability of the power supply north of Hwy. 401 is still within the average but "we are seeing an increased trend in the failure of equipment," said Ben LaPianta, senior manager of asset management.

The failure of underground cables, installed as Scarborough subdivisions were built in the 1970s and expected to last 30 years, has been noticeable in the northeast for 18 months or so. Lately, it's been noticed in the northwest too.

Industry standards say customers should normally expect their power to go out twice a year, LaPianta said this week. "You've got certain customers that are going out four, five, six times."

Toronto Hydro has already replaced large sections of cable in Ward 39 Councillor Mike Del Grande's(Scarborough-Agincourt) community, said LaPianta.

Scarborough-Rouge River Councillor Raymond Cho arranged for a public meeting with Toronto Hydro officials at the Malvern Community Recreation Centre last night after hearing from residents in his Ward 42.

"They'd like to know the reason and I don't blame them," he said.

The new cables are "orders of magnitude better" than the old ones and should be good for 35 years, LaPianta said.