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Advisory: Upper Lake Melville Work Re-scheduled for this Weekend

October 10th, 2017

 

Advisory: Upper Lake Melville Work Re-scheduled for this Weekend
Back up generation is available, but we’re asking customers to conserve where possible

We would like to advise our customers that the previously postponed equipment outage for the Upper Lake Melville area has been rescheduled for this weekend:

Saturday, Oct. 14 beginning at 10:00 p.m. to approximately 12:00 Noon, Sunday, Oct. 15 

This outage is necessary in order to conduct required work on the transmission line from Churchill Falls to ensure we are able to meet customers’ power needs this winter. We realize that any work to maintain the electrical system has an impact on our customers, and we fully understand the inconvenience this causes. We have been making every effort to plan this work so as to minimize disruption.

Over the past two weeks, work has progressed on the Happy Valley Goose Bay back-up generator. It will now be available, along with the North Diesel Plant, to support electricity demand in the area during the work.

However, a limited amount of electricity can be supplied by these back-up units — if demand is too high, some customers may not have power. Therefore, we are reminding homeowners and businesses in the area to please be prepared for the potential for service disruptions during this time.

How Can You Help?

To keep electricity demand lower during this period, we are asking customers in the area to help by conserving energy and limiting usage between the hours of 9pm Saturday and 12pm Sunday:

– Minimize hot water use by avoiding running dishwashers, showers, etc. during that period
– Avoid using clothes washers and dryers
– Turn thermostats down a few degrees
– Switch off lights, appliances and electronics that aren’t in use

Hydro is also contacting larger electricity users in advance to request that they minimize their electricity use where they can during the outage time.

Again, we appreciate your understanding and patience as we carry out this necessary work. Visit nlhydro.com/outages for outage notices and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information.

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Previous Advisory:

Update: Outage in Upper Lake Melville Cancelled this Weekend

September 29, 2017 – Over the past 48 hours, we have continued to look for ways to minimize the impact of required work on our customers in Upper Lake Melville. We have also progressed our investigation into repairs needed on the backup generator in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Further testing on backup generator indicates we may be able to accomplish the required work in the coming weeks with reduced impact on customers. As a result, the outage that was planned in the region on Sunday, October 1st, has been cancelled.

We know this process has been frustrating for our customers – we have been working hard behind the scenes to identify ways to carry out this work while reducing impact where we can.

We will continue working on this issue over the coming days and will advise customers when a new plan and date for the work has been confirmed.



Previous Advisory:

September 27, 2017 – We are advising customers in the Upper Lake Melville region of a planned customer outage this weekend:

Sunday, Oct. 1 beginning overnight at 2:00AM and concluding at approximately 4:00PM Sunday afternoon

Hydro has been working with Churchill Falls to plan this work in a manner to minimize disruption to customers as much as possible. This work is required to ensure we can meet customers’ power needs this winter.

Unfortunately, the back-up gas turbine in Happy Valley-Goose Bay is unavailable this weekend, and is currently undergoing repair.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by this service disruption – we know that all system work has an impact on our customers.

For outage notices, visit nlhydro.com/outages and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information.



Media Contact:

Jill Pitcher
Senior Communications Advisor, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro
t. 709.737.1219 / c. 709.689.9938 e. JillPitcher@nlh.nl.ca