Transmission Line Issue Leads to Power Outage Across Nova Scotia

On a clear and sunny Saturday, unexpected power disruptions left thousands of Nova Scotia Power customers without electricity, with no adverse weather conditions to strain the system. According to utility spokeswoman Kathryn O’Neill, the outage was caused by an interruption in the transmission line to New Brunswick, affecting communities across the province.

O’Neill explained that the unspecified issue necessitated power crews to interrupt electricity supply as a precautionary measure. She emphasized that such interruptions are crucial for ensuring the safe operation of the transmission line. Once the connection to New Brunswick was stabilized, power was carefully restored to customers in groups to prevent overloading the grid.

While the system operated safely and according to design to safeguard the grid, the exact cause of the outage was still under investigation, O’Neill stated. Initial findings suggested that ice buildup on the transmission line from a previous storm earlier in the week might have contributed to the disruption.

The outage impacted areas stretching from parts of Halifax to the South Shore and as far east as Cape Breton, affecting several points in between, beginning shortly after 10:30 a.m. Nova Scotia Power’s online outage map indicated that nearly 47,000 customers were affected at its peak. By mid-afternoon, power had been restored to most customers, with only about 100 still experiencing outages.