After 1998: A more robust grid

Pierre, researcher, Varennes, February 8, 1998, 10:00 a.m.

We did it! Power was restored to the last customer on February 6.

Now it’s time to assess the lessons learned. Québec experienced an unprecedented weather event, of course, but what can Hydro-Québec to do avoid another such crisis? All the transmission and distribution system specialists, engineers and researchers are in problem-solving mode. A symposium has been organized to try to get to the bottom of what happened, review the situation and find ways to build a more robust grid. We have to roll up our sleeves and improve our ways of doing things!

The ice storm gave Hydro-Québec an opportunity to upgrade its grid—both transmission and distribution lines. Total securement of the metropolitan loop was part of the process, with the goal of making every effort to ensure that repairs would be more localized and taken less time.

The metropolitan loop

Hydro-Québec reconfigured its transmission system so as to secure energy sources and integrate new line routes. The new routes provided many different configurations to deliver power. So if a satellite substation on the transmission grid were lost, distribution lines from another substation could take over to supply customers.

Stricter building standards

Up until 1998, transmission lines could resist a weight equivalent to about 45 mm of ice. That was the standard for pretty much all electric utilities. But in January 1998, over 100 mm of ice built up in some regions. So after that, the mechanical strength of equipment was improved and new lines were built to stricter engineering standards.

Vegetation control

Vegetation control plays an important role in preventing outages, by keeping power lines clear even before storms occur. If trees grow too close to lines, short circuits may occur and cause outages. With strong winds and freezing rain, branches and entire trees get too close to lines, damaging them and hindering service restoration.

Installation of experimental lines at Hydro-Québec’s research institute

Experimental lines have been put up at Hydro-Québec’s research institute. They are used to replicate ice storm conditions and test concepts and parameters. Some findings have been incorporated into Hydro-Québec standards and building methods. Other research projects help make the grid more robust. A new generation of insulators and interphase spacers has been developed, for example.

Hydro-Québec app

The Hydro-Québec Web site received a tremendous number of visits in January 1998 from people wishing to know the state of the power outages and the condition of the grid. In 2015, Hydro-Québec began launching the next generation of communication tools for customers, the Hydro-Québec app and the Power Outage information site, as well as maintaining a social media presence on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn,X (Twitter), X (Twitter) customer account, Instagram and YouTube. Users who download the app or follow the company on social media now have a handy direct connection to Hydro-Québec.

After 1998: A more robust grid

The metropolitan loop

Stricter building standards

Inclusion of anticascading towers

Strengthening power poles

Vegetation control

Installation of experimental lines at Hydro-Québec’s research institute

Hydro-Québec app

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