Map of the July 16 power outage in Saanich. According to BC Hydro, 4,400 people lost power. (BC Hydro Outage Map)

Map of the July 16 power outage in Saanich. According to BC Hydro, 4,400 people lost power. (BC Hydro Outage Map)

Live wire repairs result in unplanned outage for 4,400 BC Hydro customers Tuesday night

Equipment issues results in larger, unplanned outage for Saanich, Oak Bay residents

  • Jul. 17, 2019 12:00 a.m.

Many BC Hydro customers in Saanich and areas near the border between Saanich and Oak Bay experienced a power outage Tuesday evening.

According to Ted Olynyk, community relations manager at BC Hydro, crews were doing live-wire work in the area and encountered equipment issues resulting in the outage. An outage had been planned for a routine pole replacement and only 57 customers were slated to be affected.

“The whole area wasn’t meant to go out,” he explained. “But it just happens sometimes during live work.”

READ ALSO: Power restored in Oak Bay after early morning outage affects 27 residents

The equipment issues that caused the outage left 4,400 people in the dark from approximately 10:30 to 11:40 p.m.

BC Hydro crews are doing work year-round, said Olynyk, and there are always both planned and unplanned outages.

Currently, there are over 30 outages planned for the south Island until the end of July. BC Hydro estimates that 1117 customers will be affected by these outages.

For information regarding current outages or those that have been planned, visit the BC Hydro’s website.


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