BC Hydro hopes to restore all power in B.C.’s Fraser Valley by Tuesday

In 1950 BC Electric Company moved from its Carrall Street headquarters to a modern 21 storey building on Burrard Street. (Photo By Amateria1121 – Amateria1121, Public Domain)

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — Some BC Hydro customers are in the dark again due to lingering damage following two intense ice storms that swept through the Fraser Valley.

A statement on the company’s website says crews are making steady progress restoring power to thousands of homes, but damaged lines caused further outages in some parts of Mission and Abbotsford Tuesday.

The website says about 800 people were without electricity Tuesday afternoon, up from the 650 earlier in the day.

Hydro says it is expected that all customers will be reconnected Tuesday “barring any unforeseen circumstances or significant new damage found.

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Ice storms hammered parts of Langley, Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack on Thursday and Friday, snapping tree branches, downing power lines and leaving some BC Hydro substations frozen solid, with sensitive equipment encased in ice.

After days of frigid temperatures, Environment Canada is forecasting a high of up to 7 Celsius in the Fraser Valley by the end of the week.