Around 42 B.C. Hydro customers in Sooke last week were out of power for several hours as Hydro relocated four of five hydro poles along Sooke Road.
The fifth pole, which affects only one customer, TD Bank, was scheduled to be relocated last weekend, but was pushed back due to rainy weather.
The relocation effort for the last power pole is now set for this Sunday (Jan. 24).
B.C. Hydro spokesperson Karla Louwers said power to several of the affected businesses was restored around 5 and 5:30 p.m. Initially, the power provider estimated power was to be out anywhere between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Village Foods was still closed Jan. 11 for the full day, but everything still went as planned, said store manager, Wayne Kneeshaw.
Hydro promised to give affected businesses a 24 hour notice if the weather turned ugly, as crews cannot work in wet conditions due to safety risks.
As for future planned power outages, be prepared as best you can, noted Louwers.
“Everyone should be prepared for an outage, planned or unplanned,” she said, adding that assessing the poles for safety and functionality is an ongoing process.
“It’s an ongoing process throughout the province. Pole replacements happen, they are a part of our day to day business, this [Sunday’s] outage is the last of the group.”