UPDATE: N.L. Hydro, Newfoundland Power warn customers to be prepared for rotating blackouts if necessary
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Newfoundland Power are advising residents to be prepared for rotating blackouts if necessary.
That’s after Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro issued a statement Friday night advising island customers that a Power Warning would be in effect beginning at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24. Officials said at a news conference Saturday they hope the blackouts won’t be necessary, but demand for electricity is expected to peak during cold temperatures tonight, creating a high chance of rotating outages Saturday night through Monday.
If outages do happen, they are expected to last about an hour at a time.
Frazil ice has forced the shutdown of the Bay D’Espoir plant, and only one generator is currently online at Holyrood. Power is being brought in from Muskrat Falls over the Labrador-Island Link, and N.L. Hydro is working on getting imports from Nova Scotia over the Maritime Link to keep the system stable.
Divers are in the water at Bay D’Espoir trying to break up the frazil ice.
“This means that the current electricity supply is getting close to maximum capacity,” N.L. Hydro said in the statement. “Customers are asked to conserve electricity where they can and be prepared for rotating power outages.”
You can conserve electricity by:
Turning back the heat a few degrees
Limiting the use of hot water (don’t use dishwasher, clothes washer)
Turning off unnecessary lighting