Power Restored in Ulukhaktok After Severe Winds Down Lines

UPDATE: Power has been restored to parts of Ulukhaktok, N.W.T., after severe winds caused widespread outages early Saturday morning. Officials confirm that the first reports of power loss came in around 2 a.m. as winds gusted above 90 km/h.

Belinda Whitford, the Chief Operating Officer at the Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC), revealed that power was briefly restored by local plant operators. However, the situation worsened hours later when debris from a building roof blew off, leading to a community-wide outage.

The community faced blizzard and wind warnings throughout Saturday, but Environment Canada has since lifted these alerts. In a positive update, Whitford stated that local technicians managed to partially restore power early Sunday morning, including to the airport. However, full restoration may take additional time as assessments are made.

“We have some things happening, but there is definitely some damage that we know of that will take a number of people in there to fix that,” said Whitford.

Whitford confirmed that they are working on dispatching a charter with powerline technicians to address the damages. While she noted that no poles or transformers appear to be damaged, crews will need to conduct thorough assessments to determine the extent of the impact.

To combat the cold, the local health centre and school, both equipped with power generators, have opened as warming shelters for residents affected by the outages. Community members are urged to seek refuge as repairs are underway.

Authorities advise residents to stay tuned for updates as more information becomes available. The NTPC is committed to restoring full power as swiftly as possible, ensuring the safety and well-being of the community during this challenging time.

Residents are encouraged to share this information and stay connected for real-time updates. Your safety is our priority.