FortisBC is urging residents to be prepared for power outages as winter weather approaches.
The utility said that while it’s important to be prepared year-round, unpredictable weather in the fall and winter months can increase outage risk.
“While we work year-round to keep the electricity system reliable, external factors such as weather, especially during this time of year, mean outages can happen at any time,” said Ada Nadison, public safety program manager, FortisBC.
Although most residents in the Southern Interior recognise the importance of being prepared, a recent survey suggests many feel they could do more to get ready for an extended outage.
In June, FortisBC commissioned a survey of 400 respondents from within the utility’s Southern Interior electric service boundary.
It found that 78 per cent of respondents agree it’s important to be prepared for prolonged outages, but only 29 per cent feel prepared.
Nadison sees this as a sign of the utility’s commitment to reliable service.
“We’ve been very reliable with our electricity over the years. So the longer customers go with the power on, the less they think about moments when the power goes off. It doesn’t become top of mind for them to be prepared for those instances.”
In fall and winter, adverse weather is the most common cause of outages, with wind or snow causing trees to come into contact with power lines.
Between 2020 and 2023, the utility’s service area experienced an average of 122 weather-related outages each fall and winter.
In 2024, there were a total of 230 outages, 18 of which lasted more than 24 hours.
Nadison said the steps to prepare for prolonged outages (longer than 24 hours) are the same as for shorter ones.
“I would say preparing for a prolonged outage looks the same as being prepared for a shorter outage, but just have more of those things available,” she said.
“Extra bottles of water, maybe propane for a barbecue, knowing who your neighbours are, have a communication plan in place with your friends and family if you can’t seem to get a hold of them, having extra medication on hand etc.”
Other recommended steps include:
Assemble an emergency kit with supplies that are easy to find in the dark.
Keep phones, batteries and electric vehicles charged.
Have a safe way to prepare food and store water (remember: never use outdoor cooking appliances indoors).
If you rely on medical equipment, ensure you have a backup power source.
Businesses should consider backup power options such as generators or uninterruptible power supplies.
Know what resources and supports are available in your community.
“Just make sure you have food that’s easy to prepare, fresh water, warm clothing, candles, a battery-operated or crank flashlight and fully charged batteries - ensure your kit has the basic things to make your life comfortable while you’re waiting for us to get power back on,” added Nadison.
While prolonged outages are rare, they do occur. Factors that would necessitate a prolonged outage include an obstruction to a line that’s beyond the utilities’ control.
“A prolonged outage is usually due to really intense weather factors that we have to work around to get to,”Nadison explained.
“Like if the winds are consistent and a lot of trees are falling onto the line and there’s obstructions in the road impacting our ability to get to our lines to assess the damage, that can take longer for us to repair.”
For more information on preparing for outages, click here.
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