Hydro-Québec appeals Régie decision on maintenance funding
Posted January 19, 2026 10:03 am.
Hydro-Québec has filed an application with the Quebec Superior Court to overturn a Régie de l’énergie decision that it says will undermine grid reliability and drive up long-term costs.
The utility says the ruling blocks essential preventive maintenance work, a key priority under its Action Plan 2035 aimed at reducing power outages and improving service quality.
The Régie said the plan’s targets are not set out in legislation and are therefore not binding.
The decision affects Hydro-Québec’s 2026–2028 rate application and will result in an estimated $150 million annual shortfall, or about $450 million over three years. Hydro-Québec says failing to invest now could cost Quebec up to seven times more in the future due to more expensive emergency repairs.
Hydro-Québec has also appealed a separate Régie decision rejecting its request to spread vegetation control costs over several years, a move it says would have helped limit rate increases for business customers.
