Canada, Quebec, Montreal: A fault at an ageing Hydro-Québec substation in Hampstead caused a widespread blackout across Montreal over the weekend, affecting more than 20,000 households in the city, Montreal West, and Côte Saint-Luc.
Hydro-Québec identified the outage as resulting from a failed breaker at the substation, which is a complex issue that cannot be resolved quickly, according to spokesperson Pascal Poinlane. Emergency generators were deployed to restore electricity as promptly as possible.
The Hampstead substation has been on Hydro-Québec’s replacement list since at least 2018, with full upgrades now planned only by 2029. François Bouffard, associate professor of engineering at McGill University, noted that replacing a faulty breaker is a challenging task even under ideal conditions and could take weeks, particularly for equipment that has been in service for over 50 years.
The severe cold over the weekend slowed restoration efforts, prompting some residents to seek refuge in warming centres in Côte-des-Neiges, with over 50 people staying overnight. Most customers regained power by late on 26 January.
Sonny Moroz, interim mayor of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, described the situation as resolved and said discussions with Hydro-Québec officials were encouraging, expressing hope that the borough would see faster investment in local infrastructure.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of ageing electricity infrastructure and the challenges of maintaining reliable service during extreme weather conditions. Hydro-Québec continues to monitor the substation and plans for its eventual replacement to prevent future disruptions.
Source: CBC
