Hydro‑Québec and New England Utilities Clash Over Winter Power Cut‑offs

Last winter the North Atlantic turned into a deep‑freeze freezer, and Hydro‑Québec found itself battling not just icy winds but also its own grid’s stability. In a move the company called an “emergency reliability curtailment,” it stopped sending power down the New England Clean Energy Connect line for a total of 12 days in January and February.

That decision didn’t sit well with three Massachusetts utilities – Eversource, National Grid and Unitil. On September 8 they marched into a U.S. federal court and sued Hydro‑Québec, accusing the Canadian Crown corporation of breaching a 20‑year supply contract that promises “firm” and uninterrupted power. Their complaint even says the interruptions were “discriminatory, discretionary and non‑transparent.”

Hydro‑Québec, for its part, filed a counter‑claim the same day, saying the utilities simply refused to pay for the megawatt‑hours they actually received – more than a million MWh, worth roughly US$50 million. The company labels the Massachusetts firms’ withholding of funds as an “inappropriate form of self‑help.”

Both sides claim they’re acting on solid legal ground. Hydro‑Québec leans on the notion of force majeure: the life‑threatening cold snap was an unforeseen event that, in its view, suspended contractual obligations. The utilities, meanwhile, argue that the contract’s language on “firm” delivery leaves no room for a half‑hearted, two‑week shutdown.

It’s not just about money, either. The lawsuit threatens to strain a relationship that has taken years to build. Over the past decade Quebec’s hydropower has become a go‑to source of clean electricity for New England, Vermont and New York – the latter now linked by the Champlain Hudson Power Express line that started commercial operations in May.

Critics whisper that Quebec may have over‑committed itself. Its own reservoirs are at their lowest levels since the 1960s, and domestic demand for power is climbing. Some wonder whether signing long‑term export pacts was a prudent move, especially when winter’s grip can be so fierce.

For now, power flows have resumed across the border, and Hydro‑Québec’s spokesperson, Lynn St‑Laurent, stresses the company remains “a reliable supplier” of renewable energy. Yet the legal tussle is far from over, and both sides are now looking to the courts to decide who owes what – and whether a short‑term blackout should become a precedent for future energy contracts.