North Island Lights Up Again After Rapid Emergency Response

A scheduled emergency power outage on Thursday, July 3, temporarily cut electricity to the entire Woss-to-north region—except for Port Alice, which remained powered by a generator. The outage, which lasted from 12 to 5 p.m., was prompted by the discovery of a broken cross arm on a transmission structure just south of Woss. BC Hydro deemed the issue critical and moved quickly to address it.

“We understand the timing was difficult, especially during a busy season for businesses and tourism,” said BC Hydro spokesperson Ted Olynyk. “We’re grateful for everyone’s patience and understanding.”

The defect was discovered just a day before the outage. Given the risk of structural failure and potential fire, BC Hydro acted swiftly, notifying the public through social media and the North Island Gazette.

Thanks to fast coordination and response, crews completed repairs ahead of schedule, restoring power by 3:30 p.m.

“Everything went smoothly,” Olynyk said. “Outstanding planning, strong teamwork, and the dedication of our crews—some of whom returned from holidays—made it possible to get the job done early.”

Olynyk also emphasized that many BC Hydro team members live in the island communities they serve and take outages personally.

“They care deeply about their work and their neighbours,” he added. “Hats off to the team for stepping up and helping minimize the disruption.”