Some properties in rural areas near Fort St. John will temporarily go without power in the coming days as the provincial power provider carries out a pole replacement, according to BC Hydro.
More than 425 properties will be hit by the rolling outages, which are set to begin at 10 a.m. MST tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 13. The first day’s outage will end at three in the afternoon and will have the largest impact – with BC Hydro reporting 363 blackouts scheduled.
The power cuts will largely impact rural properties. Sections of 277 Road, 287 Road and Joyce Avenue north of Fort St John will be without power until tomorrow afternoon, as per the utility company.
On Wednesday, Jan. 14, 13 properties along 77 Avenue, 79 Avenue and 98 Street will be without power from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. An additional 47 properties are expected to be impacted that afternoon between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m.
Ahead of the outage begins, residents are advised to unplug large appliances, including the fridge, stove, and any electric heaters. Unplugging sensitive electronics, such as televisions and phones from chargers, can also help to prevent them from being damaged in case the power surges upon the grid being restored.
Businesses should “turn off your equipment and appliances, including computers and laptops, especially those that generate heat,” said BC Hydro.
Impacted customers were notified in advance by the company, who said those with My Hydro accounts should have received an email or automatic phone message from the company. People who are not registered for online billing received a postcard informing them of the exact details of the outage for their property.
