Atco substation deliberately targeted in shooting, Lloydminster RCMP say
Environmental cleanup, substation damage could cost $1.1 million
An outage that knocked out power to residential homes in Lloydminster, Alta., early Monday was the result of someone shooting at an Atco substation, RCMP said.
The substation, near 12th Street and 75th Avenue in the city's southwest, was deliberately targeted, police said in a news release.
A firearm was discharged at the facility, intentionally striking an oil tank, RCMP said. The damage knocked out power to more than 8,400 residents for almost five hours and released 20,000 litres of oil.
The incident could come with a $1.1 million price tag because of the damage to the substation and environmental cleanup, RCMP said.
The outage happened at around 4:30 a.m.
RCMP said it is aware of break-ins at several locations in Lloydminster during the incident, though they are being investigated, there is no evidence to suggest the incidents are directly related to the outage.
Amanda Mattern, vice-president of operations for Atco Electric, says the company has partnered with an environmental management company to address and mitigate any impacts.
"Safety, environmental responsibility and the reliable restoration of service have been our top priorities," Mattern said in a statement Tuesday.
"We thank our customers for their patience and understanding as we continue to support the RCMP's investigation."
With files from The Canadian Press