Breaking Development
A major hydro Quebec outage has left over 61,000 customers without power as of March 11, 2026, due to severe freezing rain affecting various regions in Quebec.
Immediate Circumstances
At 5:15 p.m., reports indicated that 57,932 addresses were without power. The Lanaudière region experienced the most significant impact, with 29,962 addresses affected. Other areas reporting outages include Quebec City, which had 11,235 addresses without power, and the Outaouais region, where 9,541 addresses were impacted. Montreal reported 2,834 customers without power, while the Laurentians region saw 1,908 addresses affected.
This outage is part of a larger trend of severe weather conditions in Quebec, with Environment and Climate Change Canada issuing an orange alert for freezing rain. Forecasts predict an accumulation of 20-30 mm of freezing rain, which poses risks to infrastructure, including potential power outages and falling tree limbs.
Official Statements
Ross Hull, a meteorologist, commented on the situation, stating, “If that does happen, then you’re looking at an impact on infrastructure. So power outages, tree limbs falling and those types of things.” Large-scale power outages are currently impacting several regions across Quebec, prompting concerns about safety and restoration efforts.
