Class action suit accuses Hydro-Quebec of negligence in massive outage

A Montreal law firm has launched a class action lawsuit on behalf of residents who suffered damages from a recent major power outage in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough.

In its application for authorization, Lex Group Inc. alleges Hydro-Quebec caused the outage by failing to maintain aging equipment despite knowing the risks since 2018.

It also accuses the utility of lacking backups, failing to notify residents promptly and “misleading and lying” after the outage and aftershock outages began.

Borough officials previously said the outage was caused by a massive break at Hampstead substation in Côte-Saint-Luc.

Thousands of households went without power for about 72 hours during a bitter cold snap starting Jan. 24.

The suit accuses the public utility of intentional negligence and seeks compensatory, moral and punitive damages.

These allegations have not been proven in court.