Skip to main content

Some people may not have power restored until Saturday: Manitoba Hydro

A digger replacing a broken pole in the Arborg area on Nov. 12, 2021. (Source: Manitoba Hydro) A digger replacing a broken pole in the Arborg area on Nov. 12, 2021. (Source: Manitoba Hydro)
Share
WINNIPEG -

While the majority of people who experienced power outages during Manitoba's snowstorm have the lights back on, Manitoba Hydro says some customers may not have power restored until Saturday.

As of Friday afternoon, Manitoba Hydro said about 1,200 customers in Selkirk, Eastman and the Interlake are still without power due to an outage that began on Thursday afternoon.

CTV News Winnipeg previously reported that 10,000 customers were without power on Thursday afternoon in Manitoba’s Interlake and Selkirk areas due to storm-related issues.

"We've made steady progress throughout the day, getting to the areas we need to get to," Bruce Owen, a spokesperson for Manitoba Hydro, told CTV News on Friday afternoon.

"The places we need to be to fix things are still drifted in and snow clogged, so it is taking us a little bit of time to get these people back on."

In a post on Twitter, Manitoba Hydro said it expects to have most customers' power restored by midnight, though some may not get the power back until Saturday.

"We know it’s difficult to be out of power for so long," the tweet said. "We’re working to get everyone restored as soon as we safely can."

According to Hydro, the road conditions are making travel difficult, particularly for the specialized equipment that is required to get broken poles and downed lines back up.

Owen said crews are working to get ice off the power lines, which in some cases are two inches thick he said.

"Those lines are coming down, hanging low. If the ice stays on, they snap," Owen said, adding crews are restringing the lines that have snapped and replacing Hydro poles that broke.

Hydro urges those who do have power to take the time to put together an emergency kit. More information can be found online.

- With files from CTV’s Tim Salzen and Daniel Halmarson. 

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Stay Connected