Widespread power outages in Saskatchewan

SaskPower is reporting widespread power outages affecting various cities and towns across the province from Regina to Moose Jaw and Weyburn as well as a massive area around Humboldt and Wadena.

According to the website, SaskPower is now calling this a major outage, warning power could be out for an extended period of time. Crews are working to assess and fix the problem but there is no estimated restoration time.

“Right now we’re just in that assessment phase trying to figure out the nature of this outage and the cause of this outage,” Jordan Jackle with SaskPower said on John Gormley Live Tuesday morning.

While activity ground to a halt at many local businesses around Regina, the neighbourhoods like Harbour Landing that actually had power were quite busy.

11:23 AM: UPDATE : City of Regina. Crews continue to work to restore power to a large amount of customers in the City of Regina. Updates to areas affected and ETR's will be provided as they become available. Thank you for your patience. #skoutage

— SaskPower (@SaskPower) December 4, 2018

Regina Public Schools also tweeted out an update saying the lights are out at many schools and they are monitoring the situation.

Terry Lazarou, media relations consultant for the school division said roughly half the schools in the city are without power.

The school board issued an update just after 11:30 saying classes are cancelled and several of its schools, both elementary and high school, will be closed for the day.

Those include: Adult Campus, Arcola, Balfour, Braun, Bryant, Campus Regina Public, Coldwell, Connaught, Coronation Park, The Crescents, Douglas Park, Ferguson, Glen Elm, Dr. Hanna, Harvest City Christian, Imperial, Johnson, Kitchener, Knoll, Lakeview, Lee, Martin, McDermid, McDonald, Mironuck, Pawson, Regina Christian, Regina Huda, Scott, Seven Stones, Thom, Thomson, Wilfrid Walker.

List of schools/classes cancelled. https://t.co/q3dDpn3Bki

— Regina Public Schools (@RegPublicSchool) December 4, 2018

Due to widespread power outages, all Regina Public High School students are being released as of 11 am. The exceptions are @SheldonWillColl and @campbelltartans who have power. Further devious with respect to all schools will be made at 11:30 am.

— Regina Public Schools (@RegPublicSchool) December 4, 2018

Kids are sent home with approval from parents. If not approved, students will remain in building.

— Judge Bryant School (@JudgeBryantSch) December 4, 2018

In the update, the school board said parents “must pick up their students or give permission to the schools to release them.” The schools will stay open for students who can’t go home.

Lazarou encouraged parents to watch the school board’s twitter page and listen to local media for updates as the website and emails are difficult to update with no computers.

Other activities that require students to be bused to other areas of the city have also been cancelled so they can be kept close to their schools in case there is a decision made to cancel classes later.

Like much of the city of Regina, Public Schools is experiencing a power interruption. We are monitoring the situation, and will inform you through Twitter and News Media when we have something to report. pic.twitter.com/XMdsXtMNrX

— Regina Public Schools (@RegPublicSchool) December 4, 2018

By 11 a.m. Tuesday, Regina Catholic Schools announced it’s releasing students at all of its schools without power. Spokeswoman Twyla West said parents are being notified and that they can pick up their kids.

West said staff at the schools will remain there with the students throughout the day.

Those schools include Miller high school and O’Neill high school, along with several elementary schools.

Those elementary schools include Holy Rosary, St. Augustine, St. Bernadette, Jean Vanier, Sacred Heart, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Catherine, Mother Theresa middle school, St. Dominic, St. Francis, St. Luke, St. Gregory, St. Mary, St. Pius, St. Kateri, St. Theresa and St. Timothy.

Staff will remain at the mentioned schools. Students will be released to parents. Busses students will NOT be bussed home until the end of the day.

— YQR Catholic Schools (@RCSD_No81) December 4, 2018

Because of the power outage, we are releasing students at Archbishop M. C. O’Neill Catholic High School. @oneilltitans

— YQR Catholic Schools (@RCSD_No81) December 4, 2018

Because of the power outage, we are releasing students at Miller Comprehensive Catholic High School. @MillerCHS

— YQR Catholic Schools (@RCSD_No81) December 4, 2018

The power is back on at St Francis. Classes are continuing as usual but there is NO BUS PICK UP for afternoon Kindergarten students. Buses will run as usual this afternoon.

— St. Francis School (@StFrancisRCSD) December 4, 2018

Phone lines are not working at @ecole_elizabeth and @StNicholasRCSD power is on at both of those schools, so students are still hard at work!

— YQR Catholic Schools (@RCSD_No81) December 4, 2018

Classes and offices at the University of Regina have been cancelled for the day.

Due to power outage, classes are cancelled. Offices are closed effective immediately. Check https://t.co/NoiRQCu6uz for updates.

— University of Regina (@UofRegina) December 4, 2018

You can follow SaskPower on Twitter for updates and check the outage map for the full list and status of repairs throughout the day.

SaskPower is experiencing numerous outages throughout different areas of the province and is dealing with extremely high call volumes. Thank you for your patience as we work to restore power. As more information becomes available, it will be published on twitter.

— SaskPower (@SaskPower) December 4, 2018

9:03 AM: Crews have been dispatched and are determining the cause and repair time for the outage reported affecting various areas of Regina. #skoutage

— SaskPower (@SaskPower) December 4, 2018

8:47 AM: Crews have been dispatched and are determining the cause and repair time for the outage reported in Fillmore, Stoughton, Creelman, Osage, Benson, Redvers, Alida, Oxbow, Arcola, Carnduff, Macoun, Estevan & all surrounding rurals areas. #skoutage

— SaskPower (@SaskPower) December 4, 2018

#SkOutage Tip: Keep refrigerators & freezers closed. Long time? Check refrigerated & frozen food before you eat it. pic.twitter.com/tadvClJKE1

— SaskPower (@SaskPower) December 4, 2018

Regina police and SGI are reminding drivers to treat intersections as four-way stops when traffic lights are out.

When traffic lights are out, treat intersections as 4-way stops. Bring your vehicle to a complete stop, and proceed when it’s safe. If 2 vehicles approach the intersection from different streets at the same time, the driver on the left must yield to the vehicle on the right. https://t.co/wBmwgd5VYE

— SGI (@SGItweets) December 4, 2018

Note of reassurance: our phones and radios are still working so, other than “mood lighting” in the office, we are still operational and responding to calls for service. Appropriate authorities are working on the power outage. We’ve got this.

— Regina Police (@reginapolice) December 4, 2018

The City of Regina tweeted out a reminder to residents to be courteous and safe while driving and to take steps to conserve water.

There are no immediate water issues, but we are asking residents to take steps to conserve water by limiting non-essential water use, such as doing laundry. Consider ‘cabin’ rules for flushing. Stay close to home and follow SaskPower for the latest information and tips. #SKOutage

— City of Regina (@CityofRegina) December 4, 2018

The outage also resulted in cancelled plans at the City of Regina Fieldhouse, which was mostly dark except for some emergency lights.

Debb Fisher had arrived hoping to swim laps in the pool but headed home shortly after.

“I was just calling a friend of mine. I thought maybe we could do tea but she doesn’t have any power,” Fisher said.

A number of other visitors sat around, making other plans. Some of the employees passed the time with a book.

One of them said that without power, air and chlorine in the pool can’t circulate, making the deck “really humid and miserable.”