EPCOR explains that there are 4 main causes of a power outage or failure. Natural causes, which is the most common cause, equipment failure, human error, and scheduled maintenance.
In 2017 BC Hydro calculated that 54% of power failures were due to natural causes that include trees and adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, 38.8% of those power failures were during the storm seasons. This is really important because the storm seasons are from mid-October to mid-February.
Ready.gov in 21 finds a power outage may: Disrupt communications, water and transportation. It may also Close retail businesses, grocery stores, gas stations, ATMs, banks and other services. Or even Cause food spoilage and water contamination.
Furthermore, BC Hydro explains that repair times vary depending on the cause of the outage and certain repairs can be lengthy, for example, replacing a broken power pole can take up to eight hours to complete.
In 2015 Azpiri elaborates that Strong winds have led to power outages and fallen trees across parts of Metro Vancouver, and B.C. Hydro said approximately 200,000 customers didn’t have access to power. One tree fell on a mother when she was walking with her daughter and was sent to the hospital right away with life-threatening injuries.
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