Manitoba Hydro says they have been able to restore power to over 5,000 customers who lost their power after the severe wind storm last night in Steinbach and area.

As of 2 p.m. Manitoba Hydro says there are approxiamtely 750 customers still without power and crews are continuing to work to restore service. They estimate power to be restored to everyone by 9 p.m. tonight.

Twenty crews have been brought in from Winnipeg, Selkirk, Morden, and Lac du Bonnet to help cut fallen trees, repair conductors, and restore service.

If customers have not done so, they are advised to report their outages to Manitoba Hydro.

 

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Manitoba Hydro now says up to 2,200 customers are still being affected by the severe wind storm Tuesday night here in Steinbach and area. It says crews have been working through the night and will continue until all service is restored.

Additional crews have been brought in from Selkirk, Winnipeg, Morden and Lac du Bonnet. They are focusing first on main power lines followed by distribution lines and then individual customers. The plan is to have full service restored by tonight.

If customers have not done so, they are advised to report their outages to Manitoba Hydro at https://www.hydro.mb.ca/outage

Manitoba Hydro has also provided the following information on common questions during outages.

Q: Why do I have to report my outage?
A: The more outage reports we receive, the faster we can pinpoint the cause of an outage. Our outage management system helps us analyze where the outage is located based on the customer reports in a given area. Our crews can respond more efficiently and quickly if they have this information.

Q: A Manitoba Hydro truck drove past my house without stopping. Why?
A: There could be several reasons. A crew could be driving through your neighbourhood looking for any damage, such as a downed tree on a power line. This often happens after a storm and we have extra staff on duty.
Q: When will my power be restored?
A: We do our best to tell our customers when power will be restored, but each outage is different. Our crews must locate and assess the cause of the outage and communicate with other crews and our dispatch centre, often during challenging conditions such as darkness, wind, rain, and blowing snow. We may not provide an estimated time of restoration until we can safely and accurately assess damage. When we do provide an estimated time of restoration, it can change when the full extent of damage becomes clearer. This can happen if we have to replace a wood pole.

Q: Why are my neighbour’s lights on, but mine still off?
A: They may get electricity from a different power line or be on a different circuit. Sometimes, not all circuits are restored at the same time. During a large outage, parts of the grid are restored one-by-one rather than all at once. This process helps avoid a second outage.

Q: Will Manitoba Hydro give me a refund for the time I am without power?
A: Electricity is metered so you only pay for the power you use.

Q: What about food in my fridge and freezer?
A: A full freezer will keep food frozen for about 48 hours. A freezer that is half-full will keep food frozen for about 24 hours. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours. If available, add ice to the refrigerator to keep the food at a safe temperature if the power will be out for a long time.

Visit Canadian Food Inspection Agency http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/information-for-consumers/fact-sheets-and-infographics/food-handling/emergency/eng/1331578972167/1331579901110 for more information about food safety during and after a power outage or other emergencies.

If you want to cook, be sure to provide adequate ventilation - never barbecue indoors or in an enclosed space.
Fuel-burning equipment that is not connected to a chimney or vent should not be used indoors. Many appliances generate dangerous levels of carbon monoxide very quickly.