LATEST NEWS
Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
Northern ice jams threat to southern power supply, Hydro says
By: Staff Writer
Posted: 02/4/2011 7:16 PM
Ice jams up north threatened 75 per cent of southern Manitoba’s power supply, Manitoba Hydro says.
"Ten days ago, there was a situation where we had overland flooding," said spokesman Glenn Schneider. "We had crews go to take a look."
The Crown utility is keeping a close eye the hydro towers close to Sipiwesk Lake and swollen parts of the Nelson River about 700 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
Water was around the base of some of the steel towers secured by steel guy wires moored into the ground, Schneider said. Ice had damaged a guy wire holding a tower that carries the high-voltage lines and there was a growing threat that ice would move the towers, he said. The towers were erected in the 1970s and they’ve never had a similar problem.
"We learned about it very early on and got crews out there," Schneider said. Crews repaired the damaged guy wire and are monitoring the situation in the remote area accessible by helicopter.
"Everything appears to be stable at the moment," Schneider said.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bre...115335149.html