Atco substation deliberately targeted in shooting, Lloydminster RCMP say

CBC News

· Posted: May 20, 2025 2:18 PM EDT | Last Updated: little than a infinitesimal ago

An outage that knocked retired powerfulness to residential homes successful Lloydminster, Alta., aboriginal Monday was the effect of idiosyncratic shooting astatine an Atco substation, RCMP said.

The substation, near 12th Street and 75th Avenue successful the city's southwest, was deliberately targeted, constabulary said successful a quality release. 

A firearm was discharged astatine the facility, intentionally striking an lipid tank, RCMP said. The harm knocked out powerfulness to much than 8,400 residents for astir 5 hours and released 20,000 litres of oil.

The incident could travel with a $1.1 cardinal terms tag because of the harm to the substation and biology cleanup, RCMP said.

The outage happened astatine astir 4:30 a.m. 

RCMP said it is alert of break-ins astatine respective locations successful Lloydminster during the incident, though they are being investigated, determination is nary grounds to suggest the incidents are straight related to the outage.

Amanda Mattern, vice-president of operations for Atco Electric, says the institution has partnered with an biology absorption institution to code and mitigate immoderate impacts.

"Safety, biology work and the reliable restoration of work person been our apical priorities," Mattern said successful a connection Tuesday.

"We convey our customers for their patience and knowing arsenic we proceed to enactment the RCMP's investigation."