NB Power customers frustrated with weather-related outages

Some New Brunswick residents are getting fed up with frequent weather-related power cuts.

A storm overnight Thursday left tree branches and electric wires heavy with snow, leaving up to 30,000 NB Power customers without electricity Friday.

As of noon Saturday nearly 4,000 customers, mainly in the Fredericton area, still did not have power.

• NB Power outages continue to affect thousands of customers
• Storm closes schools, causes power outages

Technicians like Larry Norrad will be working 14-hour days until everyone is reconnected.

"The weather seems to be generating a lot more storms and severity," he said.

Many people in neighbourhoods like Nason Crescent in Oromocto, are saying not again this was the second outage there in six months.

"We hoped that they would have learned something and looked at their power lines and cut trees back from that, but it's obvious I guess, they haven't really learned anything" said homeowner Laurie Hiltz.

Tree-trimming budget at $8M

In the wake of post-tropical storm Arthur in July 2014, which knocked out power to 200,000 NB Power customers, the utility increased its tree-trimming budget by 31 per cent, to $8 million last year.

It has also spent another $6.6 million on restoration work since the storm.

• Storm Arthur's cost for NB Power estimated at $23M
• NB Power's handling of Storm Arthur needs public review, experts say
• Arthur hits Maritimes: Post-tropical storm causes widespread blackouts

"It's something that we've concentrated on very pointedly over the last couple of years and we will continue to do so," said NB Power spokeswoman Meghan Gerrish.

The utility says it has been calling the customers who are still not back online Saturday.