Trees down on the road heading to Nanaimo Lakes. (JoAnn Lawson).
BC Hydro said power has been restored to 99 per cent of customers affected by the destructive windstorm last Thursday and it expects all customers will have power by New Year’s Eve.
As of Thursday morning, about 4,000 customers were without power on Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands.
According to the utility, more than 900 crew members are working to repair the damage, including contractor crews from Alberta and the East Coast.
The vast majority of customers on Vancouver Island who are still in the dark can expect to have the power restored later today.
Due to the extensive damage on many of the Southern Gulf Islands, customers on those islands will see their power restored between Dec. 27 and Dec. 31. The storm damaged hundreds of power lines, poles, cross-arms and transformers. Trees and other vegetation also fell across roads.
Today, BC Hydro will have more than 30 crew members working on the Gulf Islands and more crews will be sent over after work is done on Vancouver Island. BC Hydro is using barges and water taxis to move materials and crews.
Here are the estimated restoration dates for the Gulf Islands as of Thursday morning:
- Penelakut Island, Dec. 27
- Mayne Island, Dec. 28
- Pender Island, Dec. 28
- Thetis Island, Dec. 28
- Galiano Island, Dec. 29
- Saturna Island, Dec. 29
- Salt Spring Island, Dec. 30
- Parker Island, Dec. 31
- Bruce Peak, Dec. 31
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