FREDERICTON — It’s now being called the worst ice storm New Brunswick has seen since 1998. Thousands are still in the dark — most in the Rothesay and St. Stephen areas and some since Monday.
Monday saw a peak of 54,000 NB Power customers in the dark. By mid-day Saturday, that number had dipped to 11,000.
NB Power President and CEO, Gaëtan Thomas, said 196 crews were on the ground Saturday. On Sunday, they plan to have 210.
“The magnitude of the trees and the access to those impediments on the lines, have been really huge,” Thomas said during a news conference on Saturday. “This is why I am comparing this to the ice storm of 1998. I would say that this one had more impacts on our customers. ”
Those customers incldue Jennifer and Brian Caissie.
“We heard this really loud noise and my daughter looked out and said, ‘Mom! Our line is down!'” Jennifer said.
The Caissies live in Grand Bay-Westfield, an area where many have been in the dark for six days now. Their cable line now crosses their driveway. They’ve been told it won’t be fixed until at least the New Year.
But the couple say their small community has banded together, checking in on one another and sharing generators.
“You try to ask the neighbour if they need something, whatever it takes to help each other this time of the year,” said Brian. “Nobody wants to spend Christmas without power and freezing to death.”
Christmas may not be the only holiday some New Brunswickers will have spend in the dark. A new weather system is headed New Brunswick’s way, bringing with it a possible 30 cm of snow.
NB power is warning, with this new storm headed our way, it could be after the New Year that power is back on for everyone.
That news has the Caissies preparing, yet again.
“We are getting ready to go and stock up on some more candles and everything else again because with the weight that’s already on the trees now, if there’s more, we’re going to get a replay,” Jennifer said.
Surrounding provinces have had to send crews to help out.
The utility says there have been been no injuries, but workers have had to deal with very challenging conditions. Thomas said the priority is those who’ve gone without power for almost seven days.
Comments