Downed power line in northern Manitoba repaired, electricity being restored

CROSS LAKE — Manitoba Hydro said Thursday it is restoring power for residents of a northern First Nation after a downed power line forced them out.

Completion of challenging repairs came a day after the chief of Pimicikamak Cree Nation urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to send in the military to deal with the crisis caused by the outage.

The community has been without power since late Sunday when a line crossing the Nelson River snapped.

Manitoba Hydro said in a statement it would gradually restore power to customers in stages Thursday to avoid overloading the system and potentially damaging equipment.

Electric furnaces and other equipment can draw very heavy current as they initially come online in cold weather, the utility said in a statement.

“Manitoba Hydro staff are working closely with community leaders to co-ordinate and keep them informed.”

The 300-metre line ran between two islands in the Nelson River, where the ice was not thick enough to support repair vehicles, the utility said. “Despite these challenges and -30 C temperatures, Manitoba Hydro crews completed the work safely and successfully.”

In a letter to Carney, Pimicikamak Chief David Monias said water tanks had frozen, sewage systems were failing and the community had run out of potable water.

“Elders, infants, children and medically vulnerable citizens are at immediate risk,” said the letter, dated Wednesday.

“Time is critical. Every hour of delay deepens the harm and increases the risk to our people. I urge your immediate attention and action.”

Monias noted evacuations were underway, with families moved to Norway House, Thompson and Winnipeg.

“Hotel capacity in nearby centres is exhausted, and additional evacuations are expected as conditions worsen,” the letter said. “Once power is restored, widespread burst pipes and flooding are anticipated, which will further extend this emergency and displace more families.”

The chief said that despite the involvement of Indigenous Services Canada and the Canadian Red Cross, the scale and severity of the crisis exceed local and regional capacity. “Essential resources, equipment and personnel are insufficient to meet urgent needs on the ground.”

He asked for immediate deployment of the Canadian Armed Forces’ Joint Task Force West to provide help, including emergency logistical support, airlift and ground transportation for evacuations and supplies, temporary shelter support such as cots, blankets and heating solutions, and water delivery and sanitation support.

Last summer, several thousand people from the community and surrounding area were taken by plane 500 kilometres south to Winnipeg due to wildfires. At times, heavy smoke closed the local airport.

Getting everybody out of the area took a week, and the evacuation lasted roughly one month, starting in early July.

Monias said in his letter to Carney that the current request “is not made lightly, but out of necessity.”

“As a First Nation, we should not be left to endure repeated emergencies alone, particularly when the risks are foreseeable and preventable,” he wrote.

Manitoba Hydro said in its statement it has supplied a large generator to restore power to a water treatment plant and eight generators to power heavy-duty heaters for the community’s use since the outage.

Approximately 20 Manitoba Hydro employees have been working in the community during the outage and will continue their efforts as power is fully restored, the utility added.

“We again thank all of our customers in the community for their understanding and patience as we worked through this difficult repair and now begin the re-energization process,” Hal Turner, Manitoba Hydro’s chief operating officer, said in the statement.

“We know this has been a difficult time for everyone.”

Public Safety Canada, in close co-ordination with Indigenous Services and the province of Manitoba, is actively monitoring the situation and working to ensure power is fully restored as quickly and safely as possible, said Soraya Lemur, press secretary to Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski.

Federal and provincial officials and non-governmental and Indigenous organizations on the ground are working together to support the community and respond to emerging needs, Lemur added.

“This includes the delivery of generators, heaters, food and water, as well as the evacuation of community members, where needed,” she said.

“We will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves and remain ready to offer additional support as required.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 1, 2026.

— By Jim Bronskill in Ottawa