HALIFAX – Nova Scotia Power is activating its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at 12 pm Friday (January 14), in advance of the latest winter storm to hit the province.
“Along with high winds, the weather forecasts are calling for a mix of rain, snow and freezing rain across the province beginning Friday and continuing into Saturday,” said Sean Borden, Nova Scotia Power’s storm lead. “There’s also a risk of temperatures dropping quickly. Crews are at the ready and will respond to whatever this storm brings.”
The EOC provides a central place to coordinate planning for outage restoration and response. It is staffed with employees from all parts of the company. NS Power is also coordinating closely with the Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office.
“This is the second significant winter storm anticipated to hit our province in a week,” Borden said. “We will be ready to respond as quickly and safely as possible.”
Customer Safety
Customers are encouraged to monitor their local weather forecasts and prepare accordingly. Some tips include having an emergency kit with flashlights, a battery-powered radio and fresh water. A full list of safety and storm preparedness tips can be found at: www.nspower.ca/stormready
Outage Information
Customers can report outages and get estimated restoration times online at outagemap.nspower.ca or by calling 1-877-428-6004. For more info on restoration phases visit: http://nspower.ca/storm
QUICK FACTS
- High winds can cause power lines to come down due to trees or branches falling on them;
- the impact varies depending on strength of the wind and how long it lasts;
- wind can also impact restoration efforts as crews must stand down when winds reach 80km/hour until it is safe to go back up in the buckets;
- heavy wet snow and ice can also create significant damage in a small area;
- the extra weight of snow and ice on trees can cause them to bring down power lines, break poles and/or damage equipment, which can also create safety issues for crews restoring power;
- ice and heavy snow can impact road conditions and in turn how quickly crews are able to reach affected areas;
- if temperatures stay low it can lead to longer outages as it takes time to get ice off the lines/equipment;
- the impact can also be felt after snow and ice melts and trees spring back up from the weight of the snow;
- if a customer’s electrical equipment is damaged – such as a meter mast – they need a certified electrician to make repairs before NS Power can safely restore power.
FOR BROADCAST USE
NOVA SCOTIA POWER WILL BE ACTIVATING ITS EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE AT 12PM FRIDAY AHEAD OF THE LATEST WINTER STORM TO HIT THE PROVINCE.
WEATHER FORECASTS ARE CALLING FOR A MESSY MIX OF RAIN, SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN, ALONG WITH HIGH WINDS STARTING FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY.
NS POWER IS MOVING POWER LINE TECHNICIANS, FORESTRY TEAMS AND OTHERS ACROSS THE PROVINCE TO BE READY TO RESPOND IN THE EVENT OF OUTAGES.
THE UTILITY’S STORM LEAD, SEAN BORDEN SAYS THE EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTRE IS A CENTRAL PLACE TO COORDINATE PLANNING FOR OUTAGE RESTORATION AND RESPONSE. IT IS STAFFED BY EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE COMPANY. BORDEN SAYS CREWS WILL BE READY TO RESPOND AS SAFELY AND QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
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About Nova Scotia Power
Nova Scotia Power Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emera Inc. (TSX-EMA), a diversified energy and services company. Nova Scotia Power provides 95% of the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical power to more than 525,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers across Nova Scotia. The company is focused on new technologies to enhance customer service and reliability, reduce emissions and add renewable energy. Nova Scotia Power has over 1,700 employees and $4.1 billion in operating assets. Learn more at www.nspower.ca.
Media contact:
Jacqueline Foster
Nova Scotia Power
(902) 225.4735
jacqueline.foster@nspower.ca
