Power has been restored to hundreds of customers on Deer Island following theft of cables from an NB Power substation.
According to Philippe Landry, vice president of operations at NB Power, the individual cut and removed grounding cables, which are copper or aluminum cables that ground electrical current.
“The folks that are doing this are putting themselves [at risk of] great harm,” Landry said. “Touching or cutting the wrong wire is a question of life and death.”
The stolen cables work to ensure that fault electrical currents get dissipated, carrying a direct line from the equipment to the ground.
Landry said repairing the damage to the substation was hazardous for NB Power crews.
Those included power line technicians (PLTs) and power system technicians (PSTs).
“That is a concern to us from the safety standpoint,” Landry said. “Electricity will always take the least resistant path to the ground.”
He said electricity could pass through people or workers, causing potential harm to the greater public.
More than 600 NB Power customers lost connection to the grid around 9 a.m. after crews disconnected the power for repairs. A broken lock was discovered during a routine check of the substation the night before.
While NB Power couldn’t say how much the theft cost the utility, Landry did note the crews and cable required to make the repairs, and that there was likely a financial impact to local businesses and customers.
Landry said NB Power often uses cameras and lighting on substations to protect from theft. Power is now restored to customers on the island following repairs to the substation.
