Holiday storms becoming more frequent, big risk of power outages in B.C.
Posted December 19, 2022 11:59 am.
Last Updated December 19, 2022 12:15 pm.
As much of B.C.’s South Coast deals with plunging temperatures and snow, BC Hydro says a new report has found winter holiday storms are becoming more frequent, and stronger and are causing more power outages.
The provincial utilities supplier says the report, Storms Actually: How BC Hydro is preparing for increasing holiday storms, shows that in the past five years, the number of BC Hydro customers affected by winter storms has risen over 500 per cent compared to the last five years.
If you feel like holiday storms are happening more often, you’re right. Our latest report shows storms over the last five seasons are becoming stronger and causing more outages: https://t.co/zbMBtjCaYM #BCStorm pic.twitter.com/asoggdh6i9
— BC Hydro (@bchydro) December 19, 2022
“Holiday season storms are increasing mainly because of climate change, and this is something BC Hydro has been preparing for by increasing staffing and other measures,” Susie Rieder, a BC Hydro spokesperson, said.
“BC Hydro has experienced at least one storm causing significant damage to its system almost every year during the holiday season for the past decade, including the worst storm in its history that happened just before Christmas in 2018, impacting over 750,000 customers.”
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The report comes as the Lower Mainland was crippled by snow and chilling temperatures on Sunday. The second storm for the winter season saw roads and transit severely affected by snow and ice.
The report also found that those who have experienced a holiday season power outage, 20 per cent of customers said it changed their holiday plans, with people on Vancouver Island most likely to have their plans disrupted by an outage.
