Nova Scotia Power introduces non-copper wire to deter substation thefts

Thieves are still risking their lives stealing from electrical substations, and Nova Scotia Power is responding by stepping up security measures and switching from copper to a different material.

In Nova Scotia, eleven thefts have been committed in just six weeks. Police believe 10 are linked, as they occurred from Halifax and along the Highway 101 and Highway 103 corridors. The other incident was in Pictou County.

Bridgewater and Halifax police departments have committed robberies in their areas, but most have occurred in areas under RCMP surveillance.

RCMP spokesman Cpl. Chris Marshall said several calls related to reports of a black pickup, so police believe the same person or people are involved.

In addition to the substation infrastructure, vehicles at the sites have also been broken into.

“Anytime you break into a substation, you’re always taking a risk because there’s a lot of electricity running through those lines,” Marshall said.

“Ultimately there is a lasting effect on the system; it’s not just the copper, it’s the repair costs.”

In February, a would-be thief died in Stellarton while trying to steal from a substation.

Matt Drover, Nova Scotia Power’s Senior Director of Energy Delivery, said stealing copper from substations is not a good idea.

“It is a significant physical hazard. . . . It definitely poses a risk to people taking electrocution,’ he said.

“There’s over 25,000 volts in the substations and people would kill themselves if they stole that copper.”

Drover said the danger isn’t just from the copper. Everything at the substation site can be supplied with power at any time if there is a fault in the system.

“All equipment is live and getting even close can also cause physical injury.”

Drover said Nova Scotia Power is taking several measures to combat the thefts, not only to protect the company’s property but also for people’s safety. Fences around sites are being upgraded to make it more difficult for people to break in, as are the security systems and video surveillance that monitor off-site.

“We also replace our copper wire with material that has the same electrical properties, but it’s not real copper and has no financial value.”

He said all those measures should lead to fewer people breaking into substations.

Thefts from the sites come at a high cost to the company, Drover said.

“Each individual incident is different depending on what is being taken, but generally it costs several thousand dollars per incident to make the repair, and that is disruptive to customers.”

The safety impact is still the company’s primary concern, he said, not only for the thieves but also for first responders who may be called to the area.

The most recent spate of thefts began in May:

• On May 12, Kings District RCMP responded to a report that a substation on Meadowvale Road in East Tremont had been broken into overnight. Officers learned that the lock to the substation had been cut and work vehicles had been broken into. Industrial tools and copper wire were stolen.
• On May 15, Kings District RCMP responded to a report that a substation on White Rock Road had been broken into over a weekend. Officers learned that, as with the East Tremont burglary, the lock had been cut and work vehicles had been broken into, resulting in the theft of industrial tools and copper wire.
• On May 17, the Halifax Regional Police Department responded to a report that a substation on Windmill Road in Dartmouth had been broken into overnight. Officers learned that several locks had been cut on the building and that copper had been stolen. A black pickup truck was seen nearby.
• On May 23, Halifax District RCMP responded to a report that a substation on Waverley Road had been broken into overnight. Officers learned that several locks had been cut and copper wire had been stolen.
• On May 31 and June 1, Halifax District RCMP responded to reports of break-ins at a substation on Brushy Hill Road in Upper Sackville. The substation was broken into every night and witnesses saw a black pickup truck nearby at the time. Copper wire has been stolen.
• On June 1, Halifax District RCMP responded to another report of a break-in at a substation on Highway 7 in Westphal that occurred overnight. Another black pickup truck was sighted nearby and industrial tools and copper wire were stolen.
• Also on June 1, Pictou County District RCMP responded to a report of a break-in at a substation on Cove Road in Mount Thom. Shortly after 2 a.m., the substation was broken into and a white Dodge Charger was seen. Copper wire has been stolen.
• On June 3, Bridgewater police responded to a report of a break-in at a substation on King Street. Officers learned that a black Chevrolet pickup truck had been seen fleeing the area. A lock of the compound was cut and copper wire was stolen.
• On June 19, Annapolis District RCMP responded to a report of a break-in at a substation on Brickyard Road in Carleton Corner. The substation was broken into over a weekend and copper wire and industrial tools were stolen.
• On 24 June Digby RCMP responded to a report of a break-in at a substation on Pulp Mill Road in Weymouth. Copper wire and industrial tools were stolen.

Anyone with information is requested to contact the police or Crime Stoppers.