Lytton residents should have electric back by September

Jun 12, 2022 | 9:08 AM

LYTTON, B.C. — Lytton Council heard an update from BC Hydro Wednesday (June 8) on when power could be restored to the village that was 90 per cent destroyed by a wildfire almost a year ago.

The destruction included essential infrastructure like BC Hydro power poles, leaving much of the village without power and requiring the infrastructure to be rebuilt.

The main overhead powerline that runs along Main Street in Lytton is nearly finished, according to Derek Curll from BC Hydro. He said it should be completed for September.

“That will allow us to tie infrastructure at the north end of town and infrastructure at the south end of town and really provide the main backbone to bring electric service back to the village,” said Curll.

Construction of other infrastructure will take place in phases. Next, crews aim to create a loop with Main, First, Fraser and Seventh Streets.

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“The completion of these two phases will essentially complete the main infrastructure throughout the village and allow individual service connections to come off that main infrastructure in fairly short order,” he said.

Once the two phases are complete, customers can start the process of reconnecting. Residents looking to connect can visit BC Hydro’s website.
BC Hydro is waiving the connection fee for residents requesting the same type of connection that existed before the fire. The fee for connection usually starts around $800. Connection fees for businesses will not be waived.

Curll said that BC Hydro plans to build back better, improving the reliability and the overall power distribution to the Village.

He said the new power poles will be taller, around 50 feet, and therefore further from the ground and potential hazards. The poles will, however, still be wooden.

Crews will also upgrade the main conductor along Main Street, allowing for a higher capacity of power. Curll said that will eliminate the need to upgrade it in the future.

by Stephanie Swensrude

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Lytton residents should have electric back by September

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