SOPHIE DEMERS
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE
PONTIAC WEST – The Pontiac region, especially Sheenboro, Chichester, Waltham, L’Isle-Aux-Allumettes, and Mansfield-et-Pontefract, continues to experience unreliable power. Residents are frustrated with the frequent and prolonged outages, and progress with Hydro-Québec has been slow.
Corey Spence, Mayor of L’Isle-Aux-Allumettes, says many problems remain the same as they were in July. Spence, who has been working on the power outage file, states that the frequent outages are due to a poorly maintained network, including vegetation near lines, old technology, and cracked insulators.
In an October 24 meeting with municipal officials, Hydro-Québec said they planned to address these issues by increasing resources to the region this fall (2024) to work on areas that require the most attention.
Spence notes the outages this summer and fall were due to the power grid’s sensitivity while connected to the Hydro-Québec network instead of the Ontario network that usually provides the region’s power but was unavailable due to maintenance.
Another issue is slow crew response times. The nearest workers are in Maniwaki, causing a two-hour delay due to travel. Hydro-Québec says they are looking to hire someone closer.
Poor communication is also a problem. The Hydro-Québec app and the representative assigned to the municipality often provide incorrect information during outages. “This makes it impossible to plan essentials for the duration of the outage like getting gas for the generator, preparing water supplies, checking on neighbors etc.,” said Spence. “Hydro-Québec is looking into improving their processes.”
The network is nearing capacity, especially during extreme cold weather. Upgrades, such as larger transformers or extending transmission lines and installing a substation, are needed. Hydro-Québec will provide an update on the network capacity issue in the spring.
“Hydro-Québec assures us they are actively addressing the situation with network improvements that should deliver noticeable results promptly. I remain optimistic but will maintain regular meetings with Hydro-Québec to ensure we stay on the right path,” said Spence.