Sounder News
BC Hydro is asking customers on Gabriola Island to conserve electricity and limit use for essential needs only.
During repairs to the TELUS line today, crews discovered significant damage to equipment that powers the Island.
When the TELUS line snapped during the last storm event, it damaged BC Hydro lines enough it is deemed unsafe to fully repower Gabriola Island.
As result, BC Hydro will only be able to restore power to sections of the Island at a time.
Power will be available for the village centre and critical services, but other parts of the Island may experience intermittent outages of two hours.
It is critical, that for the next 24 hours, residents conserve as much electricity as possible so that the other lines can provide power to as many customers as possible until temporary repairs can be made.
TELUS crews have were successful in connecting an overhead fibre optic line between Mudge Island and Gabriola Island, but will now need to splice the fibre optics together before the line can be activated for landline phones and internet connections.
TELUS is boosting cell phone coverage on Gabriola. Fire Chief Will Sprogis spoke to the Sounder this afternoon, stressing that if islanders need emergency services, to first attempt to call 911. If they are unable to call 911, and need emergency services, proceed to the Albert Reed Memorial Fire Hall on Church Street. Firefighters are staffing the hall 24hrs a day during these outages and can contact the ambulance or RCMP dispatch centres to request those services.
Those coming to the Fire Hall area to use the cell phone booster parked at the Fire Hall are asked to park in the lower parking lot by the old Fire Hall, and not park on Church Street or in front of the new Fire Hall.
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