According to BC Hydro, it was a damaged transmission circuit that caused most of the power outages in Gibsons over night on Nov. 12/13.
Ted Olynyk, community relations manager for BC Hydro, said the transmission circuit was expected to be back online at 11 a.m. Nov. 13 and, as he was speaking to Coast Reporter by phone, that’s exactly what happened. Prior to that, Olynyk said it was estimated that between 5,000 and 6,000 customers were without power in Gibsons Wednesday morning.
“Just as we're talking, I saw the numbers come down,” he said, “So, we're down to 3,000, with about another 3,000 in the Sunshine Coast area without power. So, the transmission part is done, but it's just who knows what else is left now.”
Olynyk likened the transmission circuit to the Trans Canada Highway of power lines. He said large lines bring power to a substation and from there it goes onto a distribution line, which then goes on to various subdivisions and neighborhoods.
“So, it's just like a road. The transmission is the highway and everything flows down that and then you have the other lines that go out from there,” he said, adding its assumed it was a tree downed by the wind that caused the initial damage.
Earlier in the day, several areas in Gibsons were experiencing power outages, causing locals schools to close, including Cedar Grove Elementary, Gibsons Elementary, Langdale Elementary, Elphinstone Secondary, Sunshine Coast Alternative School in Gibsons and the School Board office.
At 11 a.m., Olynyk told Coast Reporter local hydro crews were still being dispatched to areas without power as quickly as possible and, at that time, there had not yet been a reason to call in support from the mainland. If needed, he said there are crews from the Comox Valley available to head to Powell River and teams from the North Shore ready to travel to Gibsons.
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