(Hydro Quebec Photo)
A Hydro-Québec spokesperson says they are keeping a close eye on their power lines following recent outages in the Pontiac region.
Communications advisor Cendrix Bouchard explains that the cold snap that passed along the Ottawa River at the start of the month caused the demand on their local systems to exceed capacity, requiring rotating blackouts affecting smaller pockets of their clients for short periods of time to avoid the risk of a larger blackout.
The extended period of frigid temperatures caused residents and businesses to turn their thermostats up, a winter necessity that Bouchard says already makes up a large part of their monthly bill during an average winter.
Hydro-Québec found a short-term solution to the strain on their systems by reconfiguring the local network to better handle the load, avoiding further power outages this past weekend.
While that works for now, the power company admits more needs to be done as work on a permanent solution is slated to begin in 2028.
Bouchard notes that Pontiac residents are “entitled to the same quality of service as the rest of the province,” adding that he believes local authorities are appreciative of their efforts to maintain and improve the current infrastructure ahead of what will be a major upgrade.
For now, Hydro-Quebec is continuing to monitor how their network holds up and will be looking into what else they can do to stop further disruptions from happening.
(written by Kasey Egan)
