Québec is known for its dense forests, which cover close to half its territory. Trees are an integral part of our landscape, as are the transmission and distribution systems, generating stations, dams and other Hydro-Québec facilities. Their coexistence can be put to the test by bad weather.
We clear the vegetation near the distribution system to keep trees and branches from falling on the lines. This is referred to as vegetation management. Through these efforts, we aim to protect workers and the public, but especially to prevent outages, because falling branches or trees are responsible for close to 40% of power outages. In wooded areas, up to 70% of outages are caused by strong winds, freezing rain or wet snow, all of which are occurring more frequently due to climate change.
If a tree or a branch is in danger of damaging the service entrance of your home or building, rectify the situation quickly by calling a qualified arborist. If the vegetation is damaging one of your own components, like a service mast or spool rack, Hydro-Québec will not be able to restore your connection until your equipment has been repaired.
You can also act preventively by choosing to plant a type of tree that is well adapted to the regional climate and by respecting a safe distance from medium-voltage power lines. This will help limit the risks of an outage in your home and even your entire neighborhood.
To select a tree or shrub that is right for you, use our online tool, which includes some 1,500 examples.
