Update Thursday, October 11 at 12:10 a.m: UBC has updated its bulletin at 10:30 p.m. on October 10 to note that “buildings that use natural gas for heating, hot water and cooking are no longer expected to be impacted.” The university still urges community members to limit or stop other usages of natural gas, such as those for research.
A natural gas line disruption in northern BC means that some UBC buildings may be without heating, hot water or fuel for cooking appliances.
FortisBC warns all of its consumers to limit their natural gas usage following an explosion on the Enbridge gas pipeline near Prince George yesterday at approximately 5:45 p.m.
“We’re asking all of our natural gas customers across the province to turn off their thermostats and to reduce their use of all other natural gas appliances,” wrote the company in a statement this morning.
Earlier this evening, UBC warned campus residents that the university’s geographic position means it could be among the first locations affected by a gas shortage — possibly as early as this evening.
“Given UBC’s geographic location at the end of the line, if Fortis BC runs out of gas, buildings that use natural gas for heating, hot water and cooking will be impacted, beginning as early as this evening, or possibly the morning of Oct. 11,” reads the alert.
Potentially affected buildings include all Ponderosa annexes, the Engineering Student Centre, Totem Field Studios and Audain Ponderosa East. A full list of affected buildings is available here.
The university is asking campus residents to limit their gas consumption to cooking and heating, and curtail use related to research or other non-essential uses.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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