Thousands of residents and businesses in Surrey, British Columbia, were left without electricity after severe weather triggered widespread power outages across the Lower Mainland, prompting BC Hydro to deploy restoration crews around the clock. Strong winds and heavy rainfall brought down trees and power lines, disrupting electrical service in Surrey and several neighbouring communities as utility crews worked to restore power safely. (CityNews Vancouver)
According to BC Hydro, the storm caused one of the region’s largest weather-related outage events, affecting approximately 120,000 customers at its peak across the Lower Mainland. Surrey was among the hardest-hit municipalities, with about 18,400 customers initially without electricity as crews responded to dozens of outage locations. Restoration efforts continued throughout the day as the number of affected customers steadily declined. (CityNews Vancouver)
Key Outage Details
- Incident: Widespread power outage following severe windstorm.
- Location: Surrey, British Columbia.
- Utility Provider: BC Hydro.
- Customers Affected in Surrey: Approximately 18,400 at the peak of the outage.
- Total Customers Affected Across Lower Mainland: About 120,000.
- Cause: Strong winds and heavy rain brought down trees and power lines.
- Emergency Response: BC Hydro crews worked around the clock to repair damaged infrastructure and restore electricity.
- Other Hard-Hit Communities: Vancouver, Burnaby, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, North Vancouver, Richmond, Langley, Delta, and surrounding areas.
- Public Advice: Residents were urged to stay clear of downed power lines, report outages, and monitor BC Hydro’s outage map for restoration updates. (CityNews Vancouver)
BC Hydro said restoration crews were dispatched immediately after the storm moved through the region, prioritizing repairs to critical infrastructure before addressing smaller localized outages. Utility officials explained that the combination of high winds and saturated ground conditions caused numerous trees and branches to fall onto overhead power lines, creating complex repair operations across multiple municipalities. (CityNews Vancouver)
As emergency crews worked to restore service, residents experienced disruptions to homes, businesses, and transportation. Utility crews conducted damage assessments, removed fallen trees from electrical infrastructure, replaced damaged equipment, and carried out safety inspections before re-energizing affected circuits. BC Hydro emphasized that power restoration can vary depending on the extent of damage and the accessibility of each outage location. (CityNews Vancouver)
Officials reminded the public to treat all downed wires as energized and dangerous, urging residents to remain at least 10 metres away from fallen power lines and immediately report them to BC Hydro or emergency services. Customers were also encouraged to prepare for possible extended outages by keeping flashlights, charged mobile devices, and emergency supplies readily available while monitoring official restoration updates. (BC Hydro)
By late afternoon, BC Hydro reported that nearly 90 percent of affected customers across the Lower Mainland had their electricity restored, although crews continued working in pockets of Surrey and other communities where extensive storm damage required additional repairs. Restoration efforts remained ongoing as utility workers sought to safely return power to all remaining customers as quickly as possible. (CityNews Vancouver)
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