Copper thefts prompt safety warning

Nova Scotia Power says it's just a matter of time before someone looking for copper wire at a substation gets hurt.

There have been more than 40 break-ins so far this year, according to the power company, and two of them resulted in power outages to thousands of customers in the Annapolis Valley and North Sydney area.

The company suspects the vandals were out to steal valuable copper wire.

Harris McNamara, in charge of safety for Nova Scotia Power, says in some cases the culprits removed the safety devices in their attempt to get at the copper, potentially making the whole installation dangerous to touch.

"The individual's got to realize that when he goes into a substation and he makes a mistake, it's going to result in death," he said.

Last month, a man suspected of looking for copper wire was electrocuted when he cut through a high-voltage line in Langley, B.C.

Nova Scotia Power is urging people to stay away from its facilities. Anyone who sees anything suspicious is asked to call police.

Employees of Nova Scotia Power are also worried about their safety.

"Once somebody tampers with equipment at a substation, it puts our members at risk," said Mike MacDonald, with local 1928 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Nova Scotia Power says it has increased surveillance of its facilities and is now requiring employees to inspect the buildings before entering.

The price of copper has been skyrocketing, prompting a rash of thefts of copper products across the country.

Last month in Quebec, someone stripped four churches of their copper roofs and gutters. In several places in New Brunswick, power poles have been stripped of their copper wire.

On Wednesday, repair crews were forced to shut down a substation, cutting off power to 15,000 people in the Moncton area, after someone stole copper wiring.

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Power companies use copper to ground electrical equipment in their substations. If there's a fault in the system, the copper absorbs the surge of power.

Nova Scotia Power says it hasn't added up all the costs of the copper thefts, but expects a big bill.

"We're probably talking tens of thousands of dollars by the time you look at replacing the material [and] employee labour to do it," said Garry Theriault, who manages the company's transmission and maintenance groups.