Labor costs to Hydro-Québec from the December 2022 storm are $55 million, including 110,000 hours of overtime for workers tasked with restoring power.
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Overall, this storm caused a total of 7,529 power outages, with 640,000 homes left without power. At the peak of the storm at 1 a.m. on December 24, nearly 380,758 customers were affected at one time.
From December 23 morning through December 25, a storm of rare intensity, characterized by very violent winds, crossed all of Quebec. Gusts of 110 km/h swept through large parts of the province.
Extensive operation
The massive operation that has begun to restore power to homes has mobilized around 1,200 workers on the ground, according to the state-owned company’s report.
Archive photo Louis Deschênes
The extent of the area affected by the storm and the difficult access to certain areas sometimes complicated the work of the teams, some of whom had to use snowmobiles and snowshoes to get around.
“This is the second extreme weather event to hit Quebec in 2022, following the May 21 derecho,” said Éric Filion, executive vice president, chief operating officer and customer experience officer, Hydro.-Quebec.
effects
Last December’s storm continues to have an impact.
“The tens of thousands of additional hours of work caused by the outages have resulted in postponements of planned work and will continue to do so in the coming weeks. Our staff will do everything possible to minimize delays,” says the report Hydro-Québec just produced.
Photo archive TVA Nouvelles
In total, the line workers worked almost 160,000 hours over 8 days, including 110,000 hours of overtime. Last May’s derecho cost $70 million.
- more than 500 poles replaced
- more than 530 transformers replaced
- 63 km of electric cables laid
“The holiday season is without a doubt one of the worst times of the year without electricity. We know that and that’s why we rolled up our sleeves and worked tirelessly until all the houses were on again. Our line workers and wives have once again responded in a present and present manner and did not hesitate to volunteer during the holiday season,” said Sophie Brochu, President and CEO of Hydro-Québec.