THUNDER BAY – Over the past week, across parts of Thunder Bay there have been power outages. Thunder Bay Hydro worked to restore power as fast as possible. However residents and businesses impacted are always a little frustrated. So what has been happening? “Spring is often a time of increased wildlife interference with hydro equipment. Nest building can be a number one reason for power outages at this time of the year,” says Eileen Dias, Communications & Events Coordinator at Thunder Bay Hydro. “We can appreciate how inconvenient it is for customers when their power flickers and sometimes goes out. This is simply the safety mechanisms within our system doing their job.”
Kites on lines, nesting birds and burrowing squirrels have all made the list of hazards that have created annoying power outages within the city in the past week. In one instance, a grass fire resulted when a crow came into contact with a piece of equipment in the Wardrope and Balsam street area.
When a foreign object comes into contact with energized equipment, it may create a new path to ground for power to travel through. Our system senses this and has protective equipment such as fuses and breakers that will operate to stop this route of electricity flow. If the problem persists, crews are then dispatched to identify and clear the hazard.