Residents of Pimicikamak Cree Nation are rejoicing as power and electricity are being reinstated in the community. Manitoba Hydro has fixed a damaged line that had caused a widespread blackout. The restoration of power to homes began on Thursday in a phased manner, almost four days after the line failure left residents without heat in severe winter conditions, leading to a state of emergency declaration.
Brenda Monias, who stayed in the community throughout the outage, expressed her delight upon seeing her outdoor light back on, exclaiming, “praise the Lord! We have light again!” She was thrilled to have light and warmth restored on New Year’s Day, especially for her grandchildren to keep them warm.
Peter Chura, the spokesperson for Manitoba Hydro, confirmed that repair crews have successfully fixed the downed power line and are gradually re-energizing customers in the First Nation community. The utility is restoring power in stages to prevent equipment overload and damage, which could prolong the outage, as explained by Chura to CBC News.
Full restoration of power to all customers in the community is anticipated by Thursday evening. The community had endured four days without power in freezing temperatures reaching -30 degrees Celsius after the power line across the Nelson River broke on Sunday night.
Chief David Monias declared a state of emergency on Monday and criticized Manitoba Hydro for its initial slow response. Approximately 1,400 individuals, out of the community’s 7,000 residents, sought refuge in hotels or with family members to escape the cold. The Canadian Red Cross provided over 500 generators and 600 heaters for household use during the outage.
Chief Monias expressed concerns about potential damage to infrastructure due to the extended blackout and extreme cold, such as burst pipes and water pump issues. Plumbers are already working to address the damages, but additional support may be needed for the hundreds of affected homes.
Community members showed strong solidarity during the crisis, offering warm meals and shelter to their neighbors. Loretta Ross prepared meals for over 1,000 people, emphasizing the community’s resilience and support for one another. Hydro personnel will remain in the community to ensure power stability and provide support, including a large generator for the water treatment plant and heaters for warming centers.
Chief Monias mentioned that evacuations are ongoing for vulnerable individuals despite the restoration of power, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to assist elders, infants, and those with medical needs.