Laurie needs help with hydro power

On December 7, 2023, a reckless driver lost control and smashed into the power pole at the end of our driveway, broke it, spun around, and smashed into our front yard fence, destroying it and the side gate we had there. We weren’t allowed onto our property to access the damages until after 9:30 p.m. We didn’t realize it at the time, but the crash ripped the electrical box and connections, and cable connections from the side of our house. BC Hydro replaced the pole but did not reconnect our power. After driving into Sooke to get cell service, we found out that we are responsible for hiring an electrician to replace all the electrical connections. Because of complications of the house, the electrical company that came out and assessed the damage said we would have to install a new pole on our property, to have the proper connections restored. BC Hydro has confirmed that. ICBC is covering some of the damages, but not all of them. To date, we estimate that there is around $18,000 in damages, including the cost of restoring all the electrical connections. The electrical company requires a $6,000 deposit to begin the work. On New Years Eve, my dog, Shaye injured his back knees and had to be rushed to the emergency veterinary clinic. It cost $2,500 to treat him. The total cost for reconnecting our power is $11,055.94. They require a deposit of $8,000 to $8,300 before they will start the work. The new pole will cost $5,000. We don’t have $5,000! We have been without power since December 7, 2023. We had to buy a generator and run it each night to stay warm.