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Power outage in Salmon Arm not caused by usual difficulties

About 2,500 BC Hydro customers in the Shuswap and North Okanagan were without power on April 25
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An equipment problem was responsible for a three-hour power outage in parts of Salmon Arm on Sunday, April 25. (Martha Wickett-Salmon Arm Observer)

Although the power in parts of Salmon Arm was out for about three hours on Sunday, April 25, the culprit was not anything so obvious as a tree on the line or a vehicle crash.

Close to 2,500 customers were without power in the Salmon Arm and Spallumcheen areas from about 11:15 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., meaning several businesses, including the Mall at Piccadilly, were temporarily shut down.

BC Hydro’s outage map showed power was out from the southern portion of Salmon Arm down to the Glenemma region between Armstrong and Falkland.

Mary Anne Coules, community relations with BC Hydro, said the cause stemmed from an equipment problem – one of the cable terminations.

She said it was a very small issue so was difficult to identify.

At first crew members couldn’t find the fault, but as they were up the pole and restoring power, they discovered it.

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martha.wickett@saobserver.net
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Martha Wickett

About the Author: Martha Wickett

came to Salmon Arm in May of 2004 to work at the Observer. I was looking for a change from the hustle and bustle of the Lower Mainland, where I had spent more than a decade working in community newspapers.
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