Roughly 40,000 Customers Remain Without Power as Hydro-Quebec Works to Finish Repairs

Hydro-Quebec is warning that some of its remaining repairs to lines damaged by last week’s deadly ice storm may not be completed until Tuesday.

Roughly 40,000 customers remain without power across Quebec as of 4 a.m. Monday morning, with the majority in the Montreal, Outaouais, Monteregie, and Laval regions.

Regis Tellier, the utility’s vice-president of operations and maintenance, told reporters Sunday morning that power has been restored to over 90 per cent of the more than one million customers who lost electricity—including 180,000 who saw the lights come back on Saturday.

Tellier said most of Quebec’s remaining outages affect only a handful of customers, noting hydro workers are reconnecting fewer customers even though they’re working at the same pace.

Officials are also warning people not to use fuel-burning appliances inside after a number of reports of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Montreal public health said Sunday that 180 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning have been reported at emergency rooms in the city since Wednesday, including more than 50 reported since Saturday.