By Ian Holmes

Progress made, but thousands still without power in Nanaimo area

Dec 24, 2018 | 7:53 AM

NANAIMO — While there’s been steady progress towards restoring power to the battered south coast, BC Hydro expects some customers will be in the dark beyond Christmas day.

Nanaimo-based BC Hydro spokesman Ted Olynick told NanaimoNewsNOW 9,800 customers from Chemainus to Nanoose Bay, including Gabriola Island, still don’t have power.

“In a normal storm there would be a branch on a line, it would take maybe an hour to get it off,” Olynick said Monday morning. “This storm we’re not only dealing with the branch but the whole tree on a downed line and the pole is broken.”

Olynick said “many more” power restorations will be made on Christmas eve, with the help of crews from as far away as Canada’s east coast.

Local areas still without power include Chase River/Extension, parts of Cedar/Yellow Point, small spot outages in Nanaimo city limits, as well as rural areas of the Oceanside region.

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Olynick said in places like Whiskey Creek/Hilliers powerful winds toppled dozens of large trees, which destroyed their critical infrastructure.

“The quote I heard from crews up there was total devastation. They’re treating it basically as a system rebuild, that’s how bad it is. Pole after pole after pole on the ground.”

BC Hydro expected the hard hit Whiskey Creek area to have pockets of outages by Christmas day at noon.

The City of Nanaimo has a warming lounge open to the public at the Beban Park Social Centre (2300 Bowen Rd.) Monday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Regional District of Nanaimo has a pair of warming centres —  Cedar Community Hall (2388 Cedar Rd.) and Gabriola Rollo Centre (685 North Rd.) from 9 a.m to 6 p.m.

A warming centre for Oceanside-area residents is open on Dec. 24 until 6 p.m. at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre (747 Jones St.).

BC Hydro reported 26,000 south coast customers don’t have electricity as of Monday morning, most of which are on Vancouver Island.

The power utility said 600,000 customers were left in the dark following Thursday’s fierce wind storm, including 30,000 in the Nanaimo region.

Ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes