What to do if you see this on power lines

Power lines covered in ice near Morden, Man. Jan. 18, 2023. (Source: Manitoba Hydro)

It may look like it fits into the modern picture of a winter wonderland – snow on the ground, the sun shining off the snow, ice dancing on tree branches and power lines.

Even though it might look nice, that ice scaling across the power lines could cause some serious issues if it isn't dealt with.

"It creates a weight on the line, or what we call a conductor, and it weights it down. The lines start to sag (and) when they start to sag, it puts stress on the wood pole," said Bruce Owen, the media relations officer with Manitoba Hydro.

Eventually, the ice can lead to lines breaking, and in extreme cases Owen said the poles can snap, which could leave people without power for some time.

So far in Manitoba, Owen said the areas where they have been seeing the ice build-up are the Red River Valley, from Highway 75 west to the Killarney area and then into Grandview.

"It's sporadic, it's not the whole area. It's just for the specific weather patterns that may hit."

The warmer winter is playing a role Owen said, noting usually the ice build-up is seen in early winter or sometimes even in the fall.

He added the open areas near farm country are dealing with most of the problems right now.

Hydro crews have been busy since Christmas removing ice from the lines and already have work planned for Thursday in the Grandview area. It will result in the power being turned off for a period of time starting at 10 a.m.

HOW ICE IS REMOVED FROM POWER LINES

There are two ways crews can remove ice from the lines.

The first is by simply melting the ice off. Owen said crews can put a controlled short-circuit on the line, which increases the current flow, heating up the line and melting the ice.

It takes two teams of around three to four people – one crew on site and the other in the control room.

When melting is done, around 30 to 50 kilometres of line can be done in about three hours, and customers aren't usually impacted.

The other option is to roll the ice off and it is often done in freezing rain and storm conditions.

"(It) involves someone climbing up the pole and then you have people on the ground with a long hot stick," said Owen.

The stick gets pulled along the line until it reaches the next wooden pole, and then is switched to the next section.

Hydro says a 10-person crew can do 1.6 kilometres of power line per hour with the rolling method.

While these de-icing procedures take some time and can cause temporary power outages, Owen said the outages are much longer if the line is left and then snaps.

If the public sees ice build-up on power lines, especially lines that are also sagging, they are asked to call Manitoba Hydro or message on social media.