Major disruptions Hydro-Québec's electricity transmission system

1 major disruptions

1.1 1989 geomagnetic storm
1.2 1998 ice storm
1.3 2004 hydro tower bombing

major disruptions

in spite of transmission system s reputation , fact quebec escaped unscathed northeast blackout of 2003, system has experienced damage , service interruptions severe storms in past. examples include 1982 , 1988 quebec blackouts prior large 1989 , 1998 power interruptions.

1989 geomagnetic storm

at 2:44 est on march 13, 1989, severe geomagnetic storm, due coronal mass ejection sun, struck earth. fluctuations within magnetic field of storm caused geomagnetically induced currents (gics) flow through quebec s power lines, direct current, instead of alternating current carried power lines. insulating nature of canadian shield igneous rock directed gics power lines. conductors forwarded current sensitive electrical transformers, require voltage amplitude , frequency function properly. although gics relatively feeble, nature of currents destabilized voltage of power grid , current spikes erupted everywhere.

accordingly, protective measures taken in response. save transformers , other electrical equipment, power grid taken out of commission, circuit breakers tripped on quebec , shut off power. within less 90 seconds, wave of breaking circuits left entire transmission grid out of service. collapsed power grid left 6 million people , rest of quebec without electricity hours on cold night. though blackout lasted around 9 hours places, locations in dark days. geomagnetic storm caused c$10 million in damage hydro-québec , tens of millions customers of utility.

1998 ice storm


map showing precipitation amounts quebec , northeastern united states

from january 4/5 january 10, 1998, warm moist air south overriding cold air north produced ice storm, leading on 80 hours of freezing rain , drizzle. days, continuous shower of freezing rain amounted 70–110 millimetres (2.8–4.3 inches) of water equivalent of precipitation. places montreal , south shore hard hit, 100 mm (3.9 in) of largely freezing rain falling. these heavy precipitation totals wreaked havoc on regional power transmission system.

physical damage

five 6 days of freezing rain , precipitation crippled hydro-québec power grid in montreal , south shore regions. in area 100 250 kilometres (62 155 miles), 116 transmission lines out of commission, including several major 735 kv power lines , quebec–new england hvdc ±450 kv line.

damage trees , power distribution line

through successive waves of freezing precipitation, more 75 millimetres (3.0 inches) of radial ice accumulated on electrical conductors , pylons themselves. ice coating adds additional weight of 15 20 kilograms per metre of conductor (10 20 lb/ft). though electrical wires can withstand weight, when combined effects of wind , precipitation, these conductors may break , fall. pylons, designed withstand 45 millimetres (1.8 inches) of ice accretion, buckled , collapsed twisted heaps of mangled steel. cascading failures occurred on several transmission lines, collapse of 1 or more towers left row of fallen pylons.

of pylons damaged, 150 pylons supporting 735 kv lines, , 200 towers carrying 315 kv, 230 kv, or 120 kv power lines collapsed well. in region bounded montreal between saint-hyacinthe, saint-jean-sur-richelieu , granby, dubbed triangle of darkness , half of overhead power grid out of service. quebec ordered myriad conductors, crossarms, , wire connections repair ones disabled storm in electrical transmission , electric power distribution system. in of quebec, 24,000 poles, 4,000 transformers, , 1,000 electrical pylons damaged or destroyed, more 3,000 km (2,000 mi) of downed electrical wires; cost total of c$800 million repair.

power outage

with on 100 transmission lines paralyzed ice, quebec fell massive power outage in cold canadian winter. though power restoration initiated after first blackouts, large numbers of quebecers in dark. @ height of blackout, 1.4–1.5 million homes , customers, housing 3 more 4 million people, in dark. private companies , other utilities other parts of canada , united states sent in hydro-québec undertake massive restoration task, these efforts complicated widespread damage of power grid. blackouts in areas lasted 33 days, , 90% of affected blackout had no power more 7 days. although power restored locations in quebec february 8, 1998, wasn t until mid-march power facilities in service. then, social , economic damage had occurred, such ruined food , deaths resulting lack of electric heating.

after power outage over, hydro-québec made numerous upgrades system in order improve power grid. examples include strengthening of electrical pylons , power poles, , increasing power supply. done enable utility restore power more rapidly in case of massive ice striking quebec again. hydro-québec has stated better-prepared handle ice storm same magnitude 1 of 1998.

2004 hydro tower bombing

in 2004, shortly before u.s. president george w. bush s visit canada, tower along quebec – new england transmission hvdc circuit in eastern townships near canada–us border damaged explosive charges detonated @ base. cbc reported message, purportedly résistance internationaliste , issued la presse , le journal de montréal newspapers , ckac radio station, stated attack had been carried out denounce pillaging of quebec s resources united states.