Parts of NL remain without power

[Corolla]

If my electricity went out for an entire week I'd be a little less calm than the people interviewed on the news. I'd probably be so frustrated that I'd move.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundlan...er-outage.html

Stormy weather conditions slowed emergency crews scrambling Tuesday to restore electrical power to dozens of communities on Newfoundland's northeast coast.

About 7,500 customers were still without power on the Bonavista Peninsula, Newfoundland Power said Tuesday afternoon.

In the town of Bonavista, councillors were considering whether to call a state of emergency.

Police, firefighters and volunteers were going door to door in the town on Wednesday afternoon to ensure that all residents were safe.

Much of eastern Newfoundland was plunged into darkness on Sunday, as storms caused a series of malfunctions on the power grid.

Problems on the Bonavista Peninsula, though, remain serious because the storm knocked down seven large support structures for transmission lines in the area.

Michelle Coughlan, director of corporate communications with Newfoundland Power, said those supports "literally toppled to the ground" during a storm that brought winds that topped 100 km/h.

About two kilometres of transmission line also collapsed. Much of the damage occurred in back country that is "not easily accessible at the best of times," Coughlan said Tuesday morning.

Newfoundland Power crews began installing portable generators on Tuesday, and the company hopes to begin rationing power on Tuesday night.

Coughlan said the utility is asking customers to be patient, as power is not expected to be fully restored until next Monday.

Consumers, she said, should "really have a focus on turning off or not using any unnecessary power as we prepare to restore power and until power is restored."

Coughlan said Newfoundland Power will be dispatching crews to the Bonavista Peninsula as soon as they complete repairs in other areas.

At its worst on Sunday, the storm knocked out electrical service to about 100,000 customers. Phone service, including cellphone coverage, was also temporarily disrupted.

The power outage sparked a run on supplies, with some stores expressing concern about how long they will last.

"People [are] looking for white gas, propane, everything like that for your houses," said Douglas Blackmore, who works at Moody's Gas Bar in Port Blandford.

"Out in [the] Clarenville area, it's all sold out. Here, it's pretty well all sold out, and this is just the first night of it for us," Blackmore said Monday.

Stephen Kelley, another Port Blandford resident, bundled his family into a car — and a freezer's worth of food into a trunk — to head to relatives in Gander, about 115 kilometres away.

"There [are] no community centres set up for anything. There's no place to go, but to go with family in central Newfoundland," he said. "You gotta do what you gotta do."

Restaurants and hotels in some communities, such as Clarenville, have been overwhelmed by unexpected customers.

Margaret Hobbs, a Bunyan's Cove resident, said that she is grateful to have a generator, but a lack of electricity still poses challenges, as she cares for three mentally challenged adults.

"I was depressed about it, because when you're in home care, you got a lot of clothes to wash," she said. "It's just piling up."

Hobbs said she has been told she should have power restored by Tuesday night.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundlan...er-outage.html

A temporary transmission system has brought electricity to thousands of families in northeastern Newfoundland, while crews struggle with stormy weather to make permanent fixes.

About 2,500 customers were without power Wednesday morning, Newfoundland Power communications director Michelle Coughlan told CBC News.

That marks a sharp drop from the 8,500 without electricity a day earlier. Trouble spots include communities in Bonavista Bay and Trinity Bay.

A severe storm on Sunday caused seven supports for transmission lines to the peninsula to tumble over, with about two kilometres of power lines crashing to the ground. Many smaller poles were also damaged.

"We've made significant progress," said Coughlan, adding that an alternative transmission system has been able to power thousands of homes on the Bonavista Peninsula.

However, the makeshift system will only work if the demand for electricity remains relatively low, she said. Newfoundland Power is pleading with families to keep conservation in mind for the rest of the week.

"Only use what is absolutely necessary," she cautioned. "The [further] rationing of power is certainly not out of the question."

The outage has forced residents to seek shelter and warmth where they can.

"The way this community has come together, I think it's the best place in the world to live," said Maj. Wayne Greene, who is working with the Salvation Army in Bonavista.

"It's just been excellent, and everybody has not only stepped up to the plate, but they've gone beyond what is reasonable to expect of a person."

The Salvation Army and other charitable groups have responded to the outage with makeshift soup kitchens in communities such as Port Rexton, Musgravetown and Bonavista.

The Salvation Army has also put several "feeding trucks" on the road to take food around the region.

Newfoundland Power has dispatched about 50 crews to the Bonavista Peninsula and surrounding area to repair damaged lines. In addition to heading into remote stretches of land, they have been coping with stormy conditions that have included high winds and whiteout conditions.

Nine schools have been closed because of ongoing power problems.

Darren Pike, the acting chief executive of the Eastern School District board, said although some schools have power, classes have still been disrupted.

"A lot of these schools are becoming community spots right now," Pike told CBC News on Wednesday.

As an example, he cited Bishop White School in Port Rexton, which is "mainly used for community purposes now, for a spot to get a hot meal.... Our role sort of teeters between an educational role and a community service role."

Pike said the school board hoped to get three schools open within a day.

Meanwhile, the Newfoundland and Labrador government has issued safety advisories. Residents who have had power outages, for instance, have been advised to boil any water as a precaution against the failure of chlorination systems.

[OH Nuts!]

Yes, I'd be frustrated too; I remember the '03 blackout in Northwest US & it wasn't pretty. Thank God the power came back relatively quickly.

[Corolla]

Originally Posted by rich p

Yes, I'd be frustrated too; I remember the '03 blackout in Northwest US & it wasn't pretty. Thank God the power came back relatively quickly.

Yeah, especially with how dependent we are on electricity (and technology) these days.

[TripperFan]

Originally Posted by rich p

Yes, I'd be frustrated too; I remember the '03 blackout in Northwest US & it wasn't pretty. Thank God the power came back relatively quickly.

Yeah I hated that one and we were without power for only about 26 hours. I also had no gas in the car so couldn't go anyway. BBQ'd tea ain't great!