NB Power repair crews and Carleton County firefighters are on the move Friday, Dec. 23, as the number of power outages climbs throughout the Upper Valley and elsewhere in New Brunswick.
As of 7:30 p.m., N.B Power reported more than 4,000 outages in Carleton County. The number was reduced to under 3,700 by 7:45 p.m. Throughout the province, the number of outages surpassed 12,500 at 7:30 p.m.
Woodstock Fire Department Chief Harold McLellan said his crews responded to five fire calls so far on Friday, all wind-related.
He said the calls involved either a pole on fire or trees down on power lines. McLellan said firefighters in surrounding communities are facing similar situations.
“Power commission crews are going like crazy,” the chief said.
He said the storm’s high winds are causing most of the problems, as it is accompanied primarily by rain.
The significant winter storm, packing high winds and mixed precipitation, hit all of eastern Canada, from Ontario to Newfoundland and Labrador, hitting New Brunswick around noon Friday.
Forecasters predict winds with gusts reaching as high as 90 km/hr to continue overnight Friday into early Saturday morning.
While the storm delivered significant snowfall in Ontario and Quebec, Atlantic Canada experienced rain, with some snow and freezing rain in some areas.
As of 7:30 p.m., NB Power reported more than 12,500 customers without electricity across the province.
Almost 1,200 customers in Woodstock and the surrounding communities of Bedell, Belleville, Campbell Settlement, Debec, Elmwood, Green Road, Irish Settlement, Kirkland, Limestone, Maxwell, Mckenzie Corner, Monument, Plymouth, Richmond Corner, Richmond Settlement, Union Corner face the early evening hours without electricity.
Another 323 in Belleville, Hartford, Jackson Falls, Jacksontown, Jacksonville, Lindsay, Oakville, Red Bridge, and Weston are powerless on the other side of Woodstock.
NB Power also reports 129 customers without power south of Woodstock in Benton, Riceville and Hay Settlement.
More than 600 customers in central Carleton face power outages at 7:30 p.m., including the communities of Hartland, Simonds, Somerville, St Thomas, Upper Brighton, Victoria Corner and Wakefield.
Several northern Carleton and southern Victoria communities are also experiencing outages, including 367 customers in Beechwood, Bon Accord, Kilburn, Kincardine, Lower Kintore, Maplehurst, Muniac, Perth-Andover, and Upper Kent.
NB Power is also reporting that several customers in Florenceville-Bristol, Carlow, Good Corner, Glassvile and other Carleton County communities await their power restoration.
The winter storm, which will deliver winds gusting as high as 90 km/hr to all of eastern Canada and the northeastern U.S., will include a mix of rain and snow throughout Friday into Saturday morning.
By Jim Dumville, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Dec 23, 2022 at 17:08
Recent Comments