Emotions run high as Summerside fights to keep lights on
CBC
Staff with Summerside Electric say they're not getting many updates from Maritime Electric after a failure at the utility's Sherbrooke substation over a week ago caused strain on the city's electrical grid.
"Our system can deliver. Once it hits our doorstep, we can turn those electricity units back to the customers at a 60-megawatt capacity — our peak is 35," said Greg Gaudet, director of municipal services for Summerside.
"We don't have an issue for growth or providing electricity. The piece of the puzzle for us is getting it to our doorstep."
Right now, that can't be done without Maritime Electric fixing their equipment, Gaudet said during a Summerside council meeting on Wednesday night.
"Summerside Electric is still collaborating with Maritime Electric to use all the resources we can to prevent the worst-case situation from occurring," he said, adding that would mean rolling blackouts in the city.
"Maritime Electric has 1970s vintage engines in Borden — generation units — that are tied to the same system we are on. So they can backstop our units should we fail," Gaudet said.
Gaudet was emotional when he mentioned some of the difficulties business owners in Summerside have faced because of the city's ask to conserve power.
"I can't stress enough the strength of the community. We had businesses actually shut down last week which we don't like to see. They closed their doors. They ran their own generators and it feels like we failed," he said.
"Sorry, I'm getting emotional, but it feels that way because we don't fail."
Summerside Mayor Dan Kutcher doesn't believe any of the issues facing the power grid are the fault of the city's power utility, he said.
Right now, the city is spending $100,000 a day to keep power running. During Wednesday's city council meeting, Coun. Justin Doiron wanted to know who would have to front that cost.
Gaudet didn't have a clear answer, but Kutcher thinks it should be the company that can't connect the city to a steady power supply.
"Maritime Electric. I think those are damages we are accruing as a result of their failed transformer," Kutcher said.
"Right now, we are happy to continue to make sure we are doing everything we can to get power on. Long term, that's something that's just not financially stable for the City of Summerside."
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