**** NSP Media Release
NOVA SCOTIA POWER CREWS READY FOR HURRICANE TEDDY Halifax
Nova Scotia Power has mobilized over 300 crews from within the Atlantic Bubble to respond to Hurricane Teddy.
Crews are now positioned across the province from Yarmouth to Cape Breton to be ready to respond when it is safe to do so. Crews arrived into the province yesterday for safety checks that also included a review and briefing of specificCOVID-19 protocols put in place to protect crews and customers. These protocols have been reviewed with Dr. Strang and the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness.
Nova Scotia Power’s storm response team includes power line technicians, forestry crews, planners, damage assessors, engineers, communication experts, and customer care representatives. “With rain and wind forecasts anticipated to be above 80 km/h for an extended period of time, we anticipate potentially two separate peaks of the storm, on Tuesday evening and through the day on Wednesday,” says Mark Sidebottom, Chief Operating Officer. “Safety is our top priority and we want our customers to know we are ready to respond, as soon as it is safe to do so.” Restoration Priorities When conditions are considered safe, restoration by crews will begin. In situations where there are multiple power outages, Nova Scotia Power restores power in phases to ensure critical services like hospitals can stay open before beginning work in other areas. Larger outages on transmission lines and in substations are restored ahead of smaller outages to restore electricity to the greatest number of customers. The phases are as follows:
Phase 1 – Restoration of public safety issues and emergency situations
Phase 2 – Restoration of NS Power critical infrastructure such as transmission lines and substations
Phase 3 – Restoration of Emergency Management Office (EMO) critical infrastructure such as hospitals, shelters, and essential provincial and municipal services
Phase 4 – Restoration of main electrical feeders servicing communities and neighbourhoods
Phase 5 – Restoration of branch power lines servicing individual streets
Phase 6 – Restoration of individual homes and businesses Nova Scotia Power is also coordinating closely with the Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office and has a team onsite to assist with restoration priorities and participate in regional coordination.
Customer Safety Nova Scotia Power encourages customers to plan for their safety Some tips include having an emergency kit that includes flashlights, a battery-powered radio and fresh water, ensuring backup generators are installed properly outdoors, and charging electronic devices. If you lose power, turn off and unplug electrical equipment, such as televisions and computers to prevent damage when power is restored.
Outage Information Customers can report outages and get estimated restoration times online at outagemap.nspower.ca or by calling Nova Scotia Power at 1-877-428-6004. Estimated restoration times will be posted and updated as our crews assess the damage.
