Overview of the Incident

Saskatoon has fallen into a state of gridlock as power is gradually restored following a significant outage that affected large portions of the city on Tuesday afternoon. The power failure, reported first around 1:45 PM, was completely resolved by 4:09 PM, according to an update from the City of Saskatoon shared on social media.

Cause of the Power Outage

Trevor Bell, Director of Saskatoon Light and Power, confirmed that the outage was caused by a malfunction of a high-voltage switch in a substation located in the city's northwest area. This failure triggered a 'cascading event' that impacted two transmission lines, leaving about 30,000 to 40,000 of the utility's 60,000 customers without electricity.

Impact on Traffic

As residents experienced power loss, traffic throughout the city was severely affected. Reports indicated that many traffic signals were out, causing considerable congestion. Areas around 22nd Street saw traffic lights remain non-functional into the afternoon, while 33rd Street was noted as particularly gridlocked near FreshCo and the Co-op. Drivers reported multiple accidents, including a collision that halted traffic on College Drive, resulting in frustrating delays for commuters.

Effect on Public Transport and Schools

Saskatoon Transit also announced that bus services were experiencing delays due to the ongoing traffic disruptions. The outage impacted various neighborhoods, including Market Mall, downtown areas, Nutana Park, and College Drive. Thankfully, some areas like Wildwood and parts of Fairhaven maintained power during the outage.

Local schools faced challenges as well; administrators made adjustments to keep students safe due to the blackout. While dismissal times remained unchanged, schools informed parents that transportation could encounter delays given the malfunctioning traffic lights. Some schools even opted to dismiss students early, coordinating with parents for pickups.

Response from Authorities

The city has indicated that repair crews are actively working to mend the damage caused by the outage, which it classified as 'equipment failure.' Safety measures were implemented to patrol other areas, ensuring that outages could be managed as swiftly as possible. In a statement, the city expressed gratitude for residents' patience during this challenging situation.

Community Impact and Next Steps

As the investigation into the switch failure continues, local authorities are urging community members to share their experiences and observations regarding the outage, further reflecting the widespread impact it had throughout Saskatoon.

Stay Informed

Stay tuned for more updates as the situation unfolds!