**** NSP Media Release
Scotia Power activating its Emergency Operations Centre
Nova Scotia Power is activating its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at 10am Saturday (January
29), in advance of the fourth winter storm this month.
“Weather forecasts are calling for another mix of rain, snow, freezing rain and winds reaching more than 80km an hour, beginning Saturday and continuing into Sunday,” said Sean Borden, Nova Scotia Power’s storm lead. “As we continue to monitor the forecasts, we are positioning power line crews and forestry teams across the province so we are ready to respond safely and as quickly as possible.”
The EOC is staffed with employees from all parts of the company. It provides a central place to coordinate planning for outage restoration and response. Nova Scotia Power is also coordinating closely with the Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office and has a team onsite to help coordinate the response.
“This will be our fourth winter storm in less than a month and based on the current forecast this weather system is expected to impact the entire province,” Borden said. “We are taking every precaution and ensuring we have our team and resources, in the right places so we are ready to respond.”
Customer Safety
NS Power encourages customers to monitor their local weather forecasts and prepare accordingly. Some tips include having an emergency kit with flashlights, battery-powered radio and fresh water. For a full list of safety and storm preparedness tips: www.nspower.ca/stormready
Outage Information
Customers can report outages and get estimated times of restoration (ETRs) online at outagemap.nspower.ca or by calling 1-877-428-6004. For more info on how power is restored in a storm, please visit: http://nspower.ca/storm
Damaged Electrical Equipment
Sometimes a customer’s electrical equipment – such as a meter mast – can get damaged in a storm. If this happens, it’s important to remember they will need a certified electrician to make repairs before NS Power can safely restore their power.
QUICK FACTS
• wind storms can cause power lines to come down due to trees or branches falling on them;
• the impact can vary depending on strength of the wind, how long it lasts and how fast the system moves across a region/province;
• wind can impact restoration efforts as crews stand down when winds reach 80km/hour until it is safe to go back up in the buckets;
• heavy wet snow can also create significant damage in a small area;
• the extra weight of snow and ice can bring power lines down and can also break poles and damage equipment, which can also create safety issues for crews working to restore power;
