UPDATE: Ospreys causing power outage for 3,500 homes in Okanagan

More than 3,500 homes in the Lake Country area were without power this morning due to ospreys nesting on the power lines.

According to B.C. Hydro's outage map, power went off at 6:54 a.m., May 7. It has since been restored.

The outage affected residents in the west side of Lake Country, as well as along Westside Road including Fintry and Killiney Beach, according to the map.

B.C. Hydro's Dave Cooper, with community relations, said the outage is related to a similar one yesterday that started when ospreys began building nests on the lines in the Westside Road area.

The birds continued to build nests at the site this morning.

B.C. Hydro will move the nests to current platforms along Westside Road that have been purpose-built for the ospreys or remove the sticks and debris from the lines if they're not fully-built nests, Cooper said.

Power has been knocked out on both sides of the lake since the main circuit is on the Westside and travels to Carr's Landing via underwater lines, he said.

A power outage was reported this morning, May 7, 2022. | Credit: BC Hydro

-This story was updated at 9:56 a.m. to say power has been restored.

-This story was updated at 8:49 a.m. to include a comment from Cooper.


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Carli Berry

Carli Berry has been telling stories in the Okanagan for the past three years and after finding her footing in the newspaper industry, joined the Infonews team in January 2020. Recipient of the 2019 MA Murray award for feature writing, Carli is passionate about stories that involve housing, business and the environment. Born on Vancouver Island, she is happy to say Okanagan Lake reminds, her slightly, of the ocean. Carli can be reached at (250) 864-7494 or email cberry@infonews.ca.

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