Broken power line that caused Pimicikamak outage was damaged by shotgun blast: Manitoba Hydro

The power line that broke three weeks ago, plunging a northern Manitoba First Nation in darkness and cold for several days, had been damaged by shotgun pellets.

That’s according to Manitoba Hydro, which has not officially established that a shotgun blast is to blame for the line break and subsequent outage in Cross Lake/Pimicikamak Cree Nation.

But the Crown corporation warns shooting at electrical infrastructure can have serious consequences.

“We can’t say conclusively that that’s what caused the failure,” said Peter Chura, the media relations officer for Manitoba Hydro. “We aren’t saying that at all, but any kind of damage can shorten the lifespan of a power line, can exacerbate other damage to the line, or can ultimately cause some sort of problem or outage with the line.” 

A days-long power outage – which began Dec. 28 – during a cold snap on the First Nation 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg led to frozen water systems, sewer backups, electrical issues and burst pipes in homes.

Pimicikamak was without power for four days. Roughly 4,400 people were forced to take refuge in Thompson and Winnipeg, and more than 1,300 homes required some form of repair.

The line from the Jenpeg Generating Station to Cross Lake is roughly 22 kilometres long and has four spans that pass over water. To alert aircraft about the power lines, they’re equipped with bright markers.

Manitoba Hydro says a preliminary examination of the wire found shotgun pellet damage to the aerial marker balls and the power line itself.

“While it has not been established that the shotgun pellets caused the line break and subsequent outage, shooting at any electrical infrastructure can shorten its life, cause outages, and create safety risks for both the public and Manitoba Hydro employees,” Manitoba Hydro said in a news release Monday.

Manitoba Hydro says there is no way to tell how old the damage to the lines and aerial markers is.

“We ask hunters and firearm enthusiasts to think of the serious consequences that can result from taking aim at our equipment,” said Chura. “We remind hunters to exercise caution when shooting at birds and other game in the vicinity of power lines, substations or other electric or natural gas facilities.”

Hydro workers have seen damage to infrastructure such as transformers, insulators and hydro poles, but shots fired at aerial markers is new.

The definitive cause of the break remains under investigation.

“The lines themselves, we can’t tell yet, because they’re still energized and still 75 feet in the air, so out of an abundance of caution, we’re going to swap out the other three river crossing spans, just to make sure there’s no further damage to them,” said Chura. 

However, in a statement, Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias says in part the move is an acknowledgement by Manitoba Hydro of the urgent need to replace aging infrastructure in the area, shotgun pellets or not. 

“What we know is that this outage occurred on an old, outdated transmission line from Jenpeg to Cross Lake. Aging infrastructure fails, and this line has been vulnerable for years,” said Chief Monias. 

“Flying over the line in a helicopter is not a full investigation,” he added. “A definitive cause can only be determined through close, physical examination of the damaged section. Until that happens, claims about the cause are premature.

“What is clear is that decades of underinvestment in northern and First Nations infrastructure continue to put our people at risk, and this outage is another consequence of that reality. Pimicikamak Cree Nation continues to call for a permanent solution, in relocating the transmission line to the highway to provide reliable, year‑round access and prevent this kind of emergency from happening again.”

Portions of the power line serving Cross Lake that were not part of the break were also showing firearm damage, Manitoba Hydro says. While the utility specifies there is no risk of another outage, the line will be replaced “out of an abundance of caution.”

“Manitoba Hydro is working with the community to determine the best time for that work to take place,” the utility said.

“The rush to replace entire sections of the transmission line makes clear how vulnerable the infrastructure is, despite Hydro’s claims a shotgun pellet was found in a damaged transmission line,” said Chief Monias.

About 10 members of the Armed Forces arrived at Pimicikamak last week for logistical and technical support in the aftermath of the outage.

A statement from CAF Public Affairs indicated crews are offering support by assessing repair and sustainment requirements for the water treatment plant and its power generation systems, providing project management guidance and logistics expertise, and support.

It noted that a Technical Engineering Assessment Report has been completed and provided to the Pimicikamak Cree Nation community that identifies deficiencies of critical infrastructure, with a recommendation report detailing Technical Engineering Recommendations and Project Management considerations to follow once completed. 

“These reports will help the community navigate the next steps to remediate damaged infrastructure,” the statement explained. 

Manitoba Hydro said 10 to 12 workers were also in the area last week installing service equipment for the sewage treatment plant, connecting electrical service to a nearby work camp and inspecting the power line.

Manitoba RCMP said it is not aware of any firearm-related calls for service in the area of the power line and there’s no ongoing investigation.

However, members of the public with information are asked to call the Cross Lake Detachment at 1-204-676-2600 or RCMP non-emergency if they witness a person shooting at Manitoba Hydro infrastructure.

–With files from The Canadian Press and Morgan Modjeski