Not sure if you'll have electricity overnight Sunday through Monday? Likewise.
There’s been a lot of confusion surrounding the planned power outage in Prince George on March 30 and 31. The situation has been poorly managed by the province’s electrical utility, leaving local residents frustrated and uncertain.
After we first informed our readers about the outage, we were flooded with complaints from people reaching out to tell us our news report was wrong.
They were receiving emails and phone calls from BC Hydro with conflicting information about the status of the outage.
Some were told that the outage was canceled, while others were informed it was still set to occur.
The overall message: Our story was wrong.
We reached out to BC Hydro for an explanation, verified that our information was accurate, and published that update — but the confusion continued. We’re still hearing about it a week later, and it's popping up in conversations everywhere.
This inconsistency sparked confusion and heightened concerns within the community.
Instead of providing clear and unified communication, BC Hydro's messaging to us and to our readers continues to be contradictory. This makes an already disruptive situation even more difficult for their customers to navigate.
So what happened? It’s hard to say, other than it was some kind of breakdown within one of BC Hydro’s departments. This is turning into a case of “finding out the hard way,” as you’ll know for sure if your property has power or not come Sunday night.
Whether your home is on the list or not, it’s probably a good idea to make sure your devices are charged before Sunday supper and have flashlights and battery-powered lamps ready. If candles are your preferred source lighting or for the additional heat, remember to be fire safe.
People who may be affected should also plan for a cold night. The forecast, as this is being written, calls for a drop to -2 C while the power’s out. Few of us have heat that functions without electricity, making this planned outage even more disruptive.
BC Hydro saying it has to replace utility poles emphasizes the importance of replacing aging high-voltage transmission structures to minimizing long-term outages.
However, the handling of this situation makes us wonder if the people at BC Hydro who schedule these things have spent any time in PG during this time of the year. The ground is still frozen or semi-frozen, making that task difficult; will these new poles shift after things thaw a bit more?
The decision to proceed with this outage during such an inconvenient time only amplifies the frustration people are expressing as they are wondering what they will be facing Monday morning as they are getting up to get their children off to school and themselves off to work.
Circling back to what really has people talking: why has it been so difficult for BC Hydro, using all of their technology, to keep people informed with accurate, detailed information about a planned outage?
It’s apparent that BC Hydro should look into better ways to clearly inform its customers, so that we aren’t left in the dark (and the cold).
Have your say on this topic with a letter to the editor: [email protected].
