BC Hydro Outage Affects Thousands
A significant BC Hydro outage has left nearly 6,800 customers without power across Chilliwack and the North Okanagan as of March 12, 2026. The outages are attributed to a combination of motor vehicle accidents and severe weather conditions.
As of 9:38 a.m., reports indicate that 20 separate outages are impacting customers in Chilliwack, with the most affected areas including 1,653 customers south of Keith Wilson Road, 1,147 customers in Sardis, and 864 customers north of Chilliwack Central Road.
In the North Okanagan, approximately 1,600 customers are without power due to accidents, with 976 customers between Armstrong and Enderby affected as of 7:15 a.m. Additionally, 641 customers along Highway 97 west of Armstrong lost power following another accident just before 7:30 a.m.
The outages coincide with a windstorm that has been impacting Southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, with gusts recorded at speeds up to 106 km/h. This severe weather has led to widespread power outages across the region.
BC Hydro crews are currently working to restore power, but the extent of the damage and the timeline for restoration remain unclear. As the situation develops, further updates are expected from BC Hydro.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the total number of customers affected by the windstorm and whether additional outages may occur as the weather continues to impact the area.