MONTREAL — After massive service interruptions left nearly 200,000 without power on Thursday, Hydro-Quebec were asking customers to limit their electricity use on Friday.
Between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., the power supplier was asking customers in the Laurentides, Laval, Montreal, Outaouais and Estrie regions to help out by:
• Lowering the temperature in unoccupied rooms slightly
• Postponing the use of appliances (dryer, dishwasher) by a few hours
• Limit the use of hot water as much as possible
In winter, the pressure on the grid is greatest weekday mornings between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and evenings between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., as that’s when demand is at its highest.
READ MORE: Hydro-Quebec works to restore power to thousands of customers
According to Hydro-Quebec, the outages on Thursday occurred when protective devices tripped on two 735-kV transmission lines carrying power from James Bay to southern Quebec.
“Power was gradually restored from the Hydro-Quebec grid in the southern part of the province,” it noted in a statement released Thursday night.
“But the transmission lines affected are still unavailable. They are being inspected, which is more difficult in the dark. In addition to the ongoing ground patrol, there will be a helicopter patrol at daybreak.”
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