The Town of Darlingford will be without power Thursday from 9:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m.

Manitoba Hydro's Bruce Owen explains approximately 257 customers will be affected in town and rural residents south to the Canda-U.S border.

"People will notice it, especially in Darlingford," Owen says.

The interruption will allow hydro crews to install new equipment at the Darlingford substation northeast of the community.

Owen notes the upgrades will improve the reliability of service in the area. The substation upgrade work is taking place across the Province.

Before an outage occurs, Owen recommends keeping essential items in an emergency box that's easy to find.

Items can include candles and matches, flashlights and extra batteries, food that doesn't require cooking as well as blankets.

He adds it's important to keep fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible.

According to Manitoba Hydro, a full freezer will keep food frozen for about 48 hours. A freezer that is half-full will keep food frozen for about 24 hours.

An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours. If available, add ice to the refrigerator to keep the food at a safe temperature if the power will be out for a long time.