Barriere man powerless after B.C. Hydro mistake | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
Subscribe

Would you like to subscribe to our newsletter?

Kamloops News

Barriere man powerless after B.C. Hydro mistake

Image Credit: Shutterstock

BARRIERE - A Barriere man is all thawed out after B.C. Hydro cut his electricity by mistake while he was out of town.

Lawrence Eustache, 52, returned to his Barriere home after a trip in early July to visit family in Rivers Inlet on B.C.’s coast to find his fridge and freezer fully thawed out and the power out.

Eustache says all his food was ruined, while the fridge and freezer were contaminated by the spoiled food.

“It had to have been off for three days or more,” he says. “It’s been really frustrating.”

He estimates the unplanned power outage will cost about $5,500 to replace the lost food and fix damaged appliances.

B.C. Hydro admits to the mistake, telling Eustache they turned off the power for the wrong address.

Eustache's cousin, who had been living in a neighbouring house, gave the utility company the wrong address in February when he was closing his account and moving. He says B.C. Hydro never made contact with him about the request to close the account at his address.

The power was turned back on when Eustache called, but now he’s waiting to find out if the utility company will cover the damage caused.

“I don’t know how they’re going to settle this,” he says. “I’m going to wait to see.”


To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2016
iNFOnews

  • Popular vernon News
View Site in: Desktop | Mobile