Hydro Quebec was very strongly hit, primarily due to its long power line runs:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1989_geomagnetic_storm

Supposedly, they've hardened things, lots of info on what they've done here:

https://news.hydroquebec.com/news/press-releases/all-quebec/...

I have zero idea of 1989 vs the event in 1840 though.