Electrical workers replace a utility pole on Farrell Street in Dartmouth Wednesday May 28, 2025. Photo by Tim Krochak /The Chronicle HeraldArticle contentSeveral communities on the western side of Cape Breton had power restored Sunday evening after a lengthy weekend outage.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle content“There was an outage that started Saturday afternoon impacting about 11,000 customers across parts of Cape Breton,” Jacqueline Foster, a communications adviser with Nova Scotia Power, said Monday.“Crews identified an issue at the Whycocomagh substation and were able to get a large portion of customers back on within about three and half hours.”Foster said a mobile transformer was brought in to support efforts in restoring power to the remaining 3,000 customers in the Whycocomagh area.“They were restored late Sunday afternoon.”In order to accomplish that, Foster said a second outage was required for all customers affected by Saturday’s interruption. “That emergency outage allowed crews to finish the work required to safely restore power to everyone,” she said. “We are sorry for the inconvenience this caused some of our customers.”Customers frustrated: Deputy wardenArticle contentArticle contentLynn Chisholm, the deputy warden of Inverness County and the district representative for the Port Hood and Mabou areas, said she had a busy day Sunday, fielding calls from frustrated Nova Scotia Power customers while shepherding three grandchildren aged 10 and under.Article contentArticle contentChisholm said she had several conversations with the company on Sunday and was told it was a substation issue.Article contentChisholm said it was an outage that covered an extensive distance from Mabou to Iona on the Bras d’Or Lake, a distance of some 70 kilometres.Article content“That’s what they explained to me.”Article contentChisholm said she heard two different time predictions from Nova Scotia Power about when the electricity would be restored but some didn’t have power back until nearly 8 p.m. on Sunday.Article content“The last isolation of all of that map outage was down in the East Lake Ainslie area,” she said.Article contentChisholm said the span of time for the outage in the area was 29 hours.Article content“Others were 24 hours but the main map outage from the beginning was for 24, 25 hours before they got it back.”Article contentArticle contentChisholm said her family did not lose power in Port Hood but, down Highway 19 in Mabou, where she grew up, electricity was not available for hours.Article contentArticle contentThe power outage came on a busy tourism and festival weekend for Inverness County residents, businesses and communities.Article contentThe deputy warden said she and her grandchildren attended the parade in Inverness on Sunday to wrap up the week-long Inverness Gathering and stopped at the Glenora Inn and Distillery restaurant on the way home.Article content“We just left the (distillery) building when the power went out,” Chisholm said. Article contentWithout power, Glenora Inn and other businesses had to fire up generators.Article content“For places like the Red Shoe (pub in Mabou), they shut down, they lost an evening of revenue, which is unfortunate,” Chisholm said.Article contentShe said the 67th annual Broad Cove concert, a popular event held just north of the village of Inverness, also went on with generated power and was a huge success.
Substation at heart of days long Cape Breton power outage: Nova Scotia Power
