Power outages have struck several communities across southeast Saskatchewan, starting on March 14, 2025, and continuing through March 15, leading to significant disruptions for residents and businesses alike.
According to SaskPower, approximately 6,500 customers were affected by the outages, with multiple locations reporting unstable electricity supply. The outages were predominantly attributed to transmission lines affected by high winds, with crews quickly dispatched to assess and repair the damage.
At 2:15 PM on March 14, SaskPower announced on its social media platform X (formerly Twitter) the initiation of efforts to remedy the outages. Crews were sent to Oxbow, Carlyle, Glen Ewen, Carnduff, Carievale, Gainsborough, Storthoaks, Alida, Frobisher, and surrounding rural areas. By 5:11 PM, SaskPower indicated crews were actively repairing damaged equipment, estimating power to be restored by approximately 10 PM.
Further complicatin the situation, Estevan, Bienfait, and Roche Percee experienced their own series of outages. By 2:58 PM, SaskPower confirmed dispatch crews to assess power failures affecting the latter communities. Despite many areas beginning to see power restored, some still lagged behind; at 4:26 PM, repairs continued but were not yet finished for residents around Lampman and Steelman, where restoration estimates remained undetermined.
On March 15, variable progress was reported throughout the southeast as outages persisted for many customers. SaskPower provided updates via social media messages, continuously reassuring the communities impacted by outages. Their representatives emphasized, "We are working diligently to restore power as quickly and safely as possible," underscoring the commitment to service.
Late on March 15, power finally got restored for all customers affected by the outages after approximately five hours of rolling outages across affected areas. Repairs were completed not only for Estevan and North Portal but also extended to Lampman, Steelman, and the entire area surrounding them. By 6:39 PM, SaskPower confirmed restoration for multiple areas, relieving some earlier tensions and frustrations of residents.
While most reported issues resolve, some residents noted they dealt with intermittent flickering power just hours before restoring, adding to their concerns about the reliability of services. One local resident from Lampman spoke with DiscoverEstevan, expressing relief but caution during the impending storms forecasted for the following days.
SaskPower maintains communication with the public, advising residents to report any unresolved power issues via their outage hotline, and providing reassurance for continuous monitoring of performance throughout the area.
The outage situation reflects the importance of reliable power supplies and infrastructure resilience amid severe weather circumstances. While communities may find it disruptive, the collaborative efforts of crews and responsive communication from SaskPower reflect the dedication to ensuring services are restored effectively.
Residents are encouraged to report any remaining outages or concerns with power to the SaskPower hotline at 310-2220, ensuring their issues are directly addressed following recent challenges. With restoration completed for most services, communities can now look forward to returning to their regular routines following these tumultuous days of outages.