Natural Resources
March 14, 2017

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Siobhan Coady, Minister of Natural Resources:

Minister Comments on Weekend Outages

Mr. Speaker, last weekend we experienced intense winds, the highest this province has had for decades with peaks up to 180 kilometres per hour. The winds caused wide spread power outages, damaged property, and wreaked havoc for many in their homes and on the roads.

Of primary concern to the Premier and to our government was ensuring all measures being taken for the safety of residents of the province. The Premier and I were in close contact with Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Newfoundland Power throughout the weekend while the Minister Responsible for Fire and Emergency Services connected directly with mayors and town councillors from many of the affected communities to discuss emergency services.

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Newfoundland Power worked collaboratively and were quick to respond to the outages affecting the Avalon and Burin Peninsulas which were mainly due to the loss of transmission lines. Utility crews braved treacherous elements and have worked around the clock and I thank them, along with emergency responders, for their service.

I would also like to thank communities and our emergency management partners for their support of residents. The Provincial Government will continue to work closely with the utilities and municipalities as they assess the damages and to offer assistance where possible.

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday I visited the warming station at the City of St. John’s and heard first-hand the stories of residents who were affected by this storm. At times like this, the people of the province come together by helping neighbours, offering warm shelter and food, and providing comfort.

Today, reserves of power are good and our system is stable due to the tremendous work of the men and women of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Newfoundland Power. I encourage residents who may still be affected by a power outage to check with the appropriate utility directly. Again, thank you to Newfoundland Power and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro for their extra efforts and hard work.

Thank you.

2017 03 14                              1:55 p.m.