Since the district consolidation of a number of Manitoba Hydro buildings in the region a few years ago, response time to power outages and other interruptions has improved by an average of 10 minutes, according to Bruce Owen, a spokesperson for the company.

This improvement cannot be attributed to only the consolidation, but to the proactive approach the company has gradually adopted over time, he said. The average response time was reduced from roughly 55 to 45 minutes.

"There's been a number of nasty thunderstorms and lightning storms this summer. We're learning from that and working with Environment Canada so that when we know that a system is building over Alberta, Southern Saskatchewan, and headed our way, we're staffing up already. The sky still might be blue but we're getting ready for when it hits," Owen said.

Southern Manitoba has experienced many storms already this summer, causing frequent power outages across the Pembina and Red River Valleys. Owen says that while this may be a result of weather, it also has something to do with aging infrastructure and equipment, some dating all the way back to the 1950s and '60s.

"The equipment that was great for the 1960s isn't great any more, and so we have to get out there, and we are replacing it," he said.

Vegetation interfering with power lines has also been a growing issue in recent years. If customers notice trees on their property are touching power lines they should hire a reliable contractor to trim or remove the tree, or they should contact Manitoba Hydro, Owen said.

"We need to know if there's an area if trees are touching lines, in the lines, especially if they're making sparking noises," he said.

On the maintenance front, Owen added that Manitoba Hydro has contracted Hetek Solutions workers to conduct regulatory gas leak surveys on properties in the Altona area. It is an annual program but the locations rotate every year.

"It's purely a preventative measure," Owen said.

He says customers should not worry if these workers in vests enter their property as they are just checking metres and lines.