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83-579: Hydro-Québec is a Canadian Crown corporation public utility headquartered in Montreal , Quebec. It manages the generation , transmission and distribution of electricity in Quebec, as well as the export of power to portions of the Northeast United States . More than 40 percent of Canada ’s water resources are in Quebec and Hydro-Québec is the fourth largest hydropower producer in
166-440: A $ 100 million loan. $ 60 million from that loan went to Hydro-Québec. The loan faced controversy in the Quebec legislature. Major projects during this period included: Because of the economic climate, demand for electricity dropped significantly in the early 1980s, which led to structural changes at Hydro-Québec. It became a joint stock company whose sole shareholder is Government of Québec , to which it pays an annual dividend. It
249-584: A demonstration version of its Indica model, which will be road tested in Norway . Crown corporations of Canada#Quebec Crown corporations ( French : Société de la Couronne ) are government organizations in Canada with a mixture of commercial and public-policy objectives. They are directly and wholly owned by the Crown (i.e. the government of Canada or a province). Crown corporations represent
332-612: A fully privatized company. The first Crown corporation was the Board of Works, established in 1841 by the Province of Canada to construct shipping canals. The first major Canadian experience with directly state-owned enterprises came during the early growth of the railways . The first Canadian Crown corporation after confederation was the Canadian National Railway Company , created in 1922. During
415-528: A guaranteed peak capacity of 34,342 MW—at a set price of 2.79¢ per kWh. Order in council 1277-2001 specifies quantities to be delivered for each of the 8,760 hourly intervals, which vary from 11,420 to 34,342 MW. According to the 2017 annual report the workforce stood at 19,786 employees, both permanent and temporary workers. And, a total of 1,304 employees were hired. In 1981, the Parti Québécois government redefined Hydro-Québec's mission by modifying
498-542: A joint venture to build a new HVDC line from Windsor, Quebec to Deerfield, New Hampshire , with an HVDC converter terminal intended to be built in Franklin, New Hampshire . Hydro-Québec would have owned the segment within Quebec, while the segment within the US would have been owned by Northern Pass Transmission LLC , a partnership between Northeast Utilities (75%) and NSTAR (25%). Estimated to cost US$ 1.1 billion to build, it
581-664: A licence to sell wholesale electricity at market prices, enabling Hydro-Québec to expand its market. Hydro-Québec also acquired a substantial share of Noverco , controller of natural gas distributor Gaz Métro , to participate in that market in northeastern North America. In 2002 the Agreement Respecting a New Relationship Between the Cree Nation and the Government of Quebec between the Grand Council of
664-546: A mandate (by royal charter) to govern a specific territory called a charter colony , and the head of this colony, called a proprietary governor , was both a business manager and the governing authority in the area. The first colonies on the island of Newfoundland were founded in this manner, between 1610 and 1728. Canada's most famous and influential chartered company was the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), founded on May 2, 1670, by royal charter of King Charles II . The HBC became
747-490: A network of 112,089 kilometres (69,649 mi) of medium and low voltage lines. The division is the sole electric distributor across the province, with the exception of 9 municipal distribution networks — in Alma , Amos , Baie-Comeau , Coaticook , Joliette , Magog , Saguenay , Sherbrooke and Westmount —and the electric cooperative of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Rouville . Hydro-Québec Distribution buys most of its power from
830-561: A relevant minister for the conduct of its affairs. Although these corporations are owned by the Crown, they are operated with much greater managerial autonomy than government departments. While they report to Parliament via the relevant minister in Cabinet , they are "shielded from constant government intervention and legislative oversight" and thus "generally enjoy greater freedom from direct political control than government departments." Direct control over operations are only exerted over
913-573: A specific form of state-owned enterprise . Each corporation is ultimately accountable to (federal or provincial) Parliament through a relevant minister for the conduct of its affairs. They are established by an Act of Parliament and report to that body via the relevant minister in Cabinet , though they are "shielded from constant government intervention and legislative oversight" and thus "generally enjoy greater freedom from direct political control than government departments." Crown corporations are distinct from "departmental corporations" such as
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#1732781031549996-507: A stylized "Q" fashioned out of a circle and a lightning bolt, was designed by Montreal -based design agency Gagnon/Valkus in 1960. In 2018, it paid CA$ 2.39 billion in dividends to its sole shareholder , the Government of Quebec. Its residential power rates are among the lowest in North America. In Quebec , advocates for the creation of a public hydroelectric utility protested against high costs, poor rural electrification , and
1079-492: A symbol of modern Quebec, helping to create the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s where French-speakers in Quebec rose to positions of influence in the industrial economy for the first time, and Quebec nationalism emerged as a political force. This model followed by SaskPower in 1944 and BC Hydro in 1961. Other areas provinces were active in included insurance ( Saskatchewan Government Insurance , 1945) In Alberta,
1162-584: A target of 25% of cars sold in 2020 to be electric. The plan also called for provincial utility company Hydro-Quebec to develop a strategy for the deployment of public charging infrastructure. This resulted in the creation of "The Electric Circuit" ( French : Le Circuit Électrique ), the largest public network of charging stations for electric vehicles in Quebec . The first 30 charging stations were put into use in March 2012. The network's first 400V fast charger
1245-511: A way to increase the government's annual dividend without resorting to privatization. Others, like columnist Bertrand Tremblay of Saguenay 's Le Quotidien , claim that privatization would signal a drift to the days when Quebec's natural resources were sold in bulk to foreigners at ridiculously low prices. "For too long, Tremblay writes, Quebec was somewhat of a banana republic, almost giving away its forestry and water resources. In turn, those foreign interests were exporting our jobs associated with
1328-535: A wholly owned subsidiary of Northeast Utilities, which was renamed Eversource Energy in 2015. The purchase of power from Hydro-Québec was an issue during the Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2010 . In July 2019, Eversource issued a statement that the Northern Pass project was now "off the table" after investing $ 318 million over a decade to develop and promote the project. Construction of
1411-673: Is also responsible for the production of power in remote communities not connected to the main power grid. The division operates an off-grid hydroelectric dam serving communities on the Lower North Shore and 23 small diesel power plants in the Magdalen Islands , in Haute-Mauricie and in Nunavik . In April 2011 the government of Quebec published a plan to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles, setting
1494-409: Is by far the largest source, followed by wind (2.16%) and biomass, biogas and waste (0.75%). The remainder came from nuclear (0.19%) and thermal (0.12%) generation. Emissions of carbon dioxide (1,130 tonnes/TWh), sulfur dioxide (4 tonnes/TWh) and nitrogen oxides (10 tonnes/TWh) were between 49 and 238 times lower than the industry average in northeastern North America. Imported electricity bought on
1577-904: Is established or operated by the King in Right of Ontario or the Government of Ontario , or under the authority of the Legislature or the Lieutenant Governor -in-Council. Finances Quebec published a list 60 Quebec Crown corporations ( French : sociétés d'État ) in June 2017. The following entities were among those listed: Several private Canadian companies were once Crown corporations, while others have gone defunct. Quebec %E2%80%93 New England Transmission The Quebec – New England Transmission (officially known in Quebec as
1660-409: Is often seen by Quebecers as a national success story and a source of pride. This could explain why various privatization proposals in the past have received little public attention. The liberal government has repeatedly stated that Hydro-Québec is not for sale. Like many other economists, Yvan Allaire, from Montreal's Hautes études commerciales business school, advocate increased electricity rates as
1743-609: Is one of these. The heir to the Couture wheel motor is now marketed by TM4 Electrodynamic Systems , a spin-off established in 1998 that has made deals with France's Dassault and Heuliez to develop an electric car, the Cleanova , of which prototypes were built in 2006. Hydro-Québec announced in early 2009 at the Montreal International Auto Show that its engine had been chosen by Tata Motors to equip
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#17327810315491826-685: The Réseau multiterminal à courant continu (RMCC) and also known as Phase I / Phase II and the Radisson - Nicolet - Des Cantons circuit, and known in New England as the Northern Pass ) is a long-distance high-voltage direct current (HVDC) line between Radisson , Quebec and Westford Road in Ayer , Massachusetts . As of 2012, it remains one of only two Multi-terminal HVDC systems in
1909-508: The 2008 election campaign . A Léger Marketing poll conducted in November 2008 found that a majority of Quebec respondents (53%) were opposed to his proposal to sell 7.5% of the company's equity to Quebec citizens and businesses, while 38% were in favour. Commenting on the issue on Guy A. Lepage 's talk show , former PQ Premier Jacques Parizeau estimated that such an idea would be quite unpopular in public opinion, adding that Hydro-Québec
1992-760: The Canada Revenue Agency . Crown corporations have a long-standing presence in the country and have been instrumental in its formation. They can provide services required by the public that otherwise would not be economically viable as a private enterprise or that do not fit exactly within the scope of any ministry. They are involved in everything from the distribution, use, and price of certain goods and services to energy development, resource extraction, public transportation, cultural promotion, and property management . As of 2022 , there were 47 federal Crown corporations in Canada. Provinces and territories operate their own Crown corporations independently of
2075-570: The Eastern Interconnection . Although Quebec uses the same 60 hertz frequency as the rest of North America, its grid does not use the same phase as surrounding networks. TransÉnergie mainly relies on back to back HVDC converters to export or import electricity from other jurisdictions. This feature of the Quebec network allowed Hydro-Québec to remain unscathed during the Northeast Blackout of August 14, 2003 , with
2158-514: The Frank D. Comerford Dam near Monroe, New Hampshire which, because of the asynchronous operation of the American and Québec power grids, had to be implemented as HVDC. This bipolar electricity transmission line, which is overhead for its whole length except the crossing of Saint Lawrence river, went into service in 1986. It could transfer a maximum power of 690 megawatts . The operating voltage
2241-964: The La Grande-2-A generator stations. Output will be 918 MW. Other stations commissioned since 1997 are: In 1988, all of Quebec and parts of New England and New Brunswick lost power because of an equipment failure at a substation on the North Shore . The March 1989 geomagnetic storm tripped circuit breakers on the transmission network causing a nine-hour Quebec-wide blackout. In the North American ice storm of 1998 , five days of freezing rain collapsed 600 kilometres (370 mi) of high voltage power lines and over 3,000 kilometres (1,900 mi) of medium and low voltage distribution lines in southern Quebec. Up to 1.4 million customers were without power for up to five weeks. Hydro-Québec has created separate business units dealing with
2324-629: The Montreal area. Duplessis's conservative reign, now known as the Grande Noirceur , ended when he died in office in 1959. The subsequent election of the Quebec Liberal Party , led by Jean Lesage , marked the beginning of the Quiet Revolution , a period of reform and modernization. In 1962, the US government lent Quebec $ 300 million. The funds were used to acquire independent power companies. The new government gave Hydro-Québec an exclusive mandate to develop new sites. In 1963
2407-694: The Québec interconnection of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation system, and is part of the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC). TransÉnergie manages the flow of energy on the Quebec network and ensures non-discriminatory access to all participants involved in the wholesale market. The non-discriminatory access policy allows a company such as Nalcor to sell some of its share of power from Churchill Falls on
2490-645: The Saint Lawrence River between Grondines and Lotbinière via a tunnel . Until the tunnel was built, the line crossed the river via an overhead lattice tower electricity pylon —portions of one of these towers would later be used as part of the observation tower at La Cité de l'Énergie in Shawinigan . In December 2008, Hydro-Québec , along with American utilities Northeast Utilities (parent company of Public Service of New Hampshire) and NSTAR (parent company of Boston Edison), created
2573-471: The conservative think tank The Montreal Economic Institute —have often raised the issue, claiming that the company could be better managed by the private sector and that the proceeds from a sale would lower public debt . Without going as far as Boyer and Garcia, Mario Dumont , the head of the Action démocratique du Québec , briefly discussed the possibility of selling a minority stake of Hydro-Québec during
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2656-523: The generation , transmission , distribution and construction. In 2017, production division generated 1.9B $ of net income (68.4%), transmission division 0.55B$ (19.4%), distribution division 0.33B $ (11.7%), and construction division did not generate any income. Hydro-Quebec redistributes all profits back to the government. In 2017, the crown corporation contributed $ 4 billion to the Quebec government by means of net income ($ 2.8B), royalties ($ 0.7B), public utilities tax ($ 0.3B) and debt securities ($ 0.2B). In
2739-399: The 165-TWh heritage pool provided by Hydro-Québec Production at 2.79¢/ kWh . The division usually purchases additional power by entering into long-term contracts after a public call for tenders. For shorter term needs, it also buys power from the neighboring systems at market prices. As a last resort, Hydro-Québec Production can also provide short-term relief. Supply contracts above and beyond
2822-556: The Crees and the Quebec government made possible the development of the Eastmain Reservoir . The Eastmain-1-A and Sarcelle powerhouses and Rupert River diversion project were completed for $ 5,000 million CAD. This will provide water power to the turbines at Eastmain-1 , Eastmain-1-A and Sarcelle powerhouses and will provide increased flow at the existing La Grande-1 generating station as well as Robert-Bourassa and
2905-500: The East to create Canadian National Railways (CNR) in 1918 as a transcontinental system . The CNR was unique in that it was a conglomerate , and besides passenger and freight rail, it had inherited major business interests in shipping, hotels, and telegraphy and was able create new lines of business in broadcasting and air travel. Many of the components of this business empire were later spun off into new Crown corporations including some
2988-670: The New England Clean Energy Connect, a similar project, started in February 2021. Massachusetts pursues it as an option to bring Canadian hydropower through transmission lines in Maine, estimated to cost $ 1 billion. The citizens of Maine voted in a 2021 referendum to revoke the project's permit, forcing a halt to construction which was already underway. In August 2022, the Supreme Court of Maine ruled
3071-533: The North American utility industry, Hydro-Québec was reorganized in the late 1990s to comply with electricity deregulation in the United States. The transmission division, TransÉnergie , was the first to be spun off in 1997, in response to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 's publication of Order 888. In the same year, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted Hydro-Québec
3154-471: The United States. TransÉnergie's high voltage network stretches over 33,630 km (20,900 mi), including 11,422 km (7,097 mi) of 765 and 735 kV lines , and a network of 514 substations. It is connected to neighbouring Canadian provinces and the United States by 17 ties, with a maximum reception capacity of 10,850 MW and a maximum transmission capacity of 7,994 MW. The TransÉnergie's network operates asynchronously from that of its neighbours on
3237-614: The actions of these organizations. The Crown is not liable for Crown corporations with non-agent status, except for actions of that corporation carried out on instruction from the government, though there may be "moral obligations" on the part of the Crown in other circumstances. Crown corporations are generally formed to fill a need that the federal or provincial government deems in the national interest or not profitable for private industry. Some Crown corporations are expected to be profitable organizations, while others are non-commercial and rely entirely on public funds to operate. Prior to
3320-461: The bulk of electricity generated and sold by the company. Non-hydro plants included the baseload 675-MW gross Gentilly nuclear generating station , a CANDU-design reactor which was permanently shut down on December 28, 2012 the 660-MW Tracy Thermal Generating Station , a heavy fuel oil-fired plant shutdown in March 2011 and two gas turbine peaker plants , for a total installed capacity of 36,971 MW in 2011. Hydro-Québec's average generation cost
3403-545: The company plans to build a new 1200-MW direct current link between the Des Cantons substation at Windsor, Quebec in Quebec's Eastern Townships and Deerfield, New Hampshire , with an HVDC converter terminal built at Franklin, New Hampshire . The US segment of the US$ 1.1 billion line, would be built by Northern Pass Transmission LLC , a partnership between Northeast Utilities (75%) and NSTAR (25%). In order to go ahead,
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3486-599: The construction of the Intercolonial Railway between them was one of the terms of the new constitution. The first section of this entirely government-owned railway was completed in 1872. Western Canada 's early railways were all run by privately owned companies backed by government subsidies and loans. By the early twentieth century, however, many of these had become bankrupt . The federal government nationalised several failing Western railways and combined them with its existing Intercolonial and other line in
3569-555: The construction of the expanded transmission line. Elected representatives from New Hampshire's 10 counties have expressed opposition, including 114 officials in the New Hampshire House of Representatives and 5 members of the New Hampshire Senate . United States Congressional Representative Carol Shea-Porter and Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen also oppose expansion of the line. Some of
3652-401: The corporation's budget and the appointment of its senior leadership through Orders-in-Council . Further, in the federal sphere, certain Crown corporations can be an agent or non-agent of the Crown. One with agent status is entitled to the same constitutional prerogatives, privileges, and immunities held by the Crown and can bind the Crown by its acts. The Crown is thus entirely responsible for
3735-402: The development of our natural resources with the complicity of local vultures". Left-wing academics, such as UQAM 's Léo-Paul Lauzon and Gabriel Sainte-Marie, have claimed that privatization would be done at the expense of residential customers, who would pay much higher rates. They say that privatization would also be a betrayal of the social pact between the people and its government, and that
3818-552: The earlier part of the century, many British North American colonies that now comprise the Canadian federation had Crown corporations, often in the form of railways, such as the Nova Scotia Railway , since there was limited private capital available for such endeavours. When three British colonies joined to create the Canadian federation in 1867, these railways were transferred to the new central government. As well,
3901-452: The effects of the large-scale deployment of electric vehicles on the power grid . Projects focus on technologies to increase range , improve performance in cold weather and reduce charging time . Hydro-Québec has been criticized for not having taken advantage of some of its innovations. An electric wheel motor concept that struck a chord with Quebecers, first prototyped in 1994 by Pierre Couture, an engineer and physicist working at IREQ,
3984-713: The exception of 5 hydro plants on the Ottawa River radially connected to the Ontario grid at the time. A new 1250-MW back to back HVDC tie has been commissioned at the Outaouais substation, in L'Ange-Gardien , near the Ontario border. The new interconnection has been online since 2009 and the 315 kV line is fully operational since 2010. One drawback of the TransÉnergie network involves the long distances separating
4067-591: The excesses of the previous open market which had led to calls for prohibition in the first place. Virtually all the provinces used this system at one point. The largest of these government liquor businesses, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (founded 1927), was by 2008 one of the world's largest alcohol retailers. Resource and utility crown corporations also emerged at this time, notably Ontario Hydro and Alberta Government Telephones in 1906, and SaskTel in 1908. Provincial governments also re-entered
4150-418: The federal government. In Canada, Crown corporations within either the federal or provincial level are owned by the Crown as the institution's sole legal shareholder . This follows the legal premise that the monarch , as the personification of Canada , owns all state property. Established by an Act of Parliament , each corporation is ultimately accountable to (federal or provincial) Parliament through
4233-414: The federal level. Not only the federal government was involved, but also the provinces, who were in engaged in an era of " province building " (expanding the reach and importance of the provincial governments) around this time. The prototypical example is Hydro-Québec , founded in 1944 and now Canada's largest electricity generator and the world's largest producer of hydro-electricity. It is widely seen as
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#17327810315494316-551: The formation of Crown corporations as presently understood, much of what later became Canada was settled and governed by a similar type of entity called a chartered company . These companies were established by a royal charter by the Scottish , English , or French crown, but were owned by private investors. They fulfilled the dual roles of promoting government policy abroad and making a return for shareholders. Certain companies were mainly trading businesses, but some were given
4399-636: The generation sites and the main consumer markets. For instance, the Radisson substation links the James Bay project plants to the Nicolet station near Sainte-Eulalie , south of the Saint Lawrence, over 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) away. In 2011, TransÉnergie invested C$ 1.3 billion in capital expenditures, including C$ 460 million to expand its network. In addition to the new tie with Ontario,
4482-605: The government authorized it to acquire private electricity distributors, including the Gatineau Power Company and the Shawinigan Water & Power Company Hydro-Québec achieved province-wide scope. All of the 46 rural coops accepted Hydro-Québec's 1963 buyout offer, except Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-Rouville which still exists. In 1964, the Province of British Columbia provided the Province of Quebec with
4565-519: The heritage pool must be approved by the Régie de l'énergie du Québec and their costs are passed on to customers. The division signed one natural gas cogeneration agreement for 507 MW in 2003, three forest biomass deals (47.5 MW) in 2004 and 2005, and ten contracts for wind power (2,994 MW) in 2005 and 2008, all with private sector producers. It also signed two flexible contracts with Hydro-Québec Production (600 MW) in 2002. Hydro-Québec Distribution
4648-416: The lack of French speakers in management positions in hydroelectricity companies. In 1944, Montreal Light, Heat & Power company was nationalised, along with its subsidiary, Beauharnois Power, and Hydro-Québec was created to manage the companies. Quebec Premier Adélard Godbout adopted a policy of investing 10 million dollars per year in rural electrification. However, in 1944 the government changed, and
4731-419: The markets account for most of these emissions. Hydro-Québec's expertise at building and operating a very high voltage electrical grid spreading over long distances has long been recognized in the electrical industry. TransÉnergie, Hydro-Québec's transmission division, operates the largest electricity transmission network in North America. It acts as the independent system operator and reliability coordinator for
4814-482: The mid-century. The federal Post Office Department became a Crown corporation as Canada Post Corporation in 1981, and Canada's export credit agency , Export Development Canada , was created in 1985. Perhaps the most controversial was Petro-Canada , Canada's short-lived attempt to create a national oil Crown corporation , founded in 1975. The heyday of Crown corporations ended in the late 1980s, and there has been much privatisation since that time, particularly at
4897-500: The most important businesses in the mid-20th-century economy of Canada, such Air Canada , the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Via Rail , and Marine Atlantic . Provincial Crown corporations also re-emerged in the early 20th century, most notably in the selling of alcohol. Government monopoly liquor stores were seen as a compromise between the recently ended era of Prohibition in Canada and
4980-677: The new line, saying that it would benefit Connecticut and Massachusetts residents more than those in New Hampshire, and expressing concerns about the flooding of boreal forests during the construction of Hydro-Québec's dams in northern Quebec, disputes with the Innu First Nations, and the effects on tourism and the environment within the White Mountain National Forest . A coalition of New Hampshire communities and local government officials oppose
5063-500: The new premier Maurice Duplessis was opposed to any form of government intervention in the economy. Local cooperatives were created to bring power to rural areas. Duplessis remained in power until 1960, and during that time there were no further nationalisations of companies, and Hydro-Québec mostly served the Montreal area. Major projects included: Between 1944 and 1962, Hydro-Québec's installed capacity increased from 616 to 3,661 MW while lowering residential power rates by half in
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#17327810315495146-604: The open market in the State of New York using TransÉnergie's network, upon payment of a transmission fee. In recent years, TransÉnergie's Contrôle des mouvements d'énergie (CMÉ) unit has been acting as the reliability coordinator of the bulk electricity network for Quebec as a whole, under a bilateral agreement between the Régie de l'énergie du Québec and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of
5229-594: The other near Radisson substation approximately at 53°29′18″N 77°47′35″W / 53.48833°N 77.79306°W / 53.48833; -77.79306 ( Radisson Grounding Electrode ) . In 2004, shortly before U.S. President George W. Bush 's visit to Canada , a tower along the Quebec–New England Transmission circuit in the Eastern Townships near the Canada–US border
5312-458: The project must receive regulatory approval in Quebec and the United States. The proposed transmission line could be in operation in 2015. According to Jim Robb, a senior executive from Northeast Utilities, New England could meet one third of its Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative commitments with the hydropower coming through this new power line alone. Hydro-Québec Distribution is in charge of retail sales to most customers in Quebec. It operates
5395-516: The project needed to receive regulatory approval in Quebec and the United States. The proposed transmission line could have been in operation in 2015. According to Jim Robb, a senior executive from Northeast Utilities, New England could have met one third of its Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative commitments with the hydropower coming through this new power line alone. In October 2010, Northeast Utilities announced that it would merge with NSTAR. In effect, Northern Pass Transmission would have become
5478-515: The province would be short-selling itself by divesting of a choice asset for a minimal short term gain. Hydro-Québec sources of energy supply (2013) On December 31, 2013, Hydro-Québec Production owned and operated 61 hydro plants —including 12 of over 1,000 MW capacity — with 26 major reservoirs. These facilities are located in 13 of Quebec's 430 watersheds , including the Saint Lawrence , Betsiamites , La Grande , Manicouagan , Ottawa , Outardes , and Saint-Maurice rivers. These plants provide
5561-416: The railway business as in Northern Alberta Railways in 1925 and what later became BC Rail in 1918. A notable anomaly of this era is Canada's only provincially owned "bank" (though not called that for legal reasons) Alberta Treasury Branches , created in 1937. The Bank of Canada , originally privately owned, became a Crown corporation in 1938. New crown Corporations were also created throughout much of
5644-454: The research centre is located in Varennes , a suburb on the South Shore of Montreal . IREQ operates on an annual research budget of approximately C$ 100 million and specializes in the areas of high voltage, mechanics and thermomechanics, network simulations and calibration. Research conducted by scientists and engineers at IREQ has helped to extend the life of dams, improve water turbine performance, automate network management and increase
5727-490: The retroactive revocation of the permit was unconstitutional, but remanded the case to lower courts for more consideration. Important waypoints of the line. Route listed here reflects the primary route, and is currently projected. Quebec – New England Transmission has two grounding electrodes: one at Des Cantons at 45°36′29″N 71°51′06″W / 45.60806°N 71.85167°W / 45.60806; -71.85167 ( Des Cantons Grounding Electrode ) and
5810-429: The south to the converter station at Sandy Pond in Massachusetts. The transmission power was increased by extending the existing converter stations to 2,000 megawatts, with the value of the transmission voltage remaining unchanged at ±450 kV. For the connection of the Montreal area, a further converter station at Nicolet was put into service in 1992 with a transmission capacity of 2,000 megawatts. The line crosses
5893-440: The term public agency is used to describe "boards, commissions, tribunals or other organizations established by government, but not part of a government department." Crown corporations in Manitoba are supported by Manitoba Crown Services . Crown corporations in Ontario are referred to as Crown agencies . A Crown agency includes any board, commission, railway, public utility, university, factory, company or agency that
5976-501: The terms of the social pact of 1944. The government issued itself 43,741,090 shares worth C$ 100 each, and the amended statute stated that Hydro-Québec would now pay up to 75% of its net earnings in dividends. This amendment to the Hydro-Québec Act started an episodic debate on whether Hydro-Québec should be fully or partially privatized. In recent years, economist Marcel Boyer and businessman Claude Garcia—both associated with
6059-692: The transmission capacity of high voltage power lines. Another research centre, the Laboratoire des technologies de l'énergie (LTE) in Shawinigan, was opened in 1988 to adapt and develop new products while helping industrial customers improve their energy efficiency . In the last 20 years, the institute has also conducted research and development work towards the electrification of ground transportation . Current projects include battery materials, including innovative work on lithium iron phosphate and nano-titanate, improved electric drive trains and
6142-553: The world (the other one being the Sardinia–;Corsica–Italy system, completed in the same year) and is "the only multi-terminal bipole HVDC system in the world where three stations are interconnected and operate under a common master control system". Initially, the Quebec – New England Transmission consisted of the 172 kilometres (107 mi) section between the Des Cantons station near Windsor, Quebec and
6225-575: The world's largest land owner, at one point overseeing 7,770,000 km (3,000,000 sq mi), territories that today incorporate the provinces of Manitoba , Saskatchewan and Alberta , as well as Nunavut , the Northwest Territories , and Yukon . The HBC were often the point of first contact between the colonial government and First Nations . By the late 19th century, however, the HBC lost its monopoly over Rupert's Land and became
6308-533: The world. It was established as a Crown corporation by the government of Quebec in 1944 from the expropriation of private firms. This was followed by massive investment in hydro-electric projects like the James Bay Project . Today, with 63 hydroelectric power stations , the combined output capacity is 37,370 megawatts. Extra power is exported from the province and Hydro-Québec supplies 10 per cent of New England 's power requirements. The company logo,
6391-497: The year 2000 with the adoption of Bill 116, which amended the Act respecting the Régie de l'énergie , to enact the functional separation of Hydro-Québec's various business units. Legislation passed in 2000 commits the generation division, Hydro-Québec Production, to provide the distribution division, Hydro-Québec Distribution, a yearly heritage pool of up to 165 TWh of energy plus ancillary services—including an extra 13.9 TWh for losses and
6474-747: Was 2.11 cents per kWh in 2011. The company also purchases the bulk of the output of the 5,428-MW Churchill Falls generating station in Labrador, under a long-term contract expiring in 2041. In 2009, Hydro-Québec bought the 60% stake owned by AbitibiBowater in the McCormick plant (335 MW), located at the mouth of the Manicouagan River near Baie-Comeau , for C$ 616 million. In 2013, the energy sold by Hydro-Québec to its grid-connected customers in Quebec and exported to neighboring markets came almost exclusively from renewable sources. Hydro (96.78%)
6557-526: Was also given the mandate to export power and to work in any energy-related field. In 1986 the Quebec – New England Transmission began bringing power from the James Bay Project 1,100 kilometers (700 miles) south to the Boston area. Phase II of the James Bay Project started in 1987 and took nine years to complete. Construction of the Denis-Perron Dam began in 1994. Like its counterparts in
6640-605: Was damaged by explosive charges detonated at its base. The CBC reported that a message, purportedly from the Résistance internationaliste and issued to the La Presse and Le Journal de Montréal newspapers and CKAC radio, stated that the attack had been carried out to "denounce the 'pillaging' of Quebec's resources by the United States". In November 2015, the Sierra Club of New Hampshire expressed opposition to
6723-605: Was installed in 2013. As of 2019, The Electric Circuit offers 2,389 public charging stations in Quebec and eastern Ontario . Usage is also compatible with the FLO and New Brunswick E-charge network adaptors. Hydro-Québec has made significant investments in research and development over the past 40 years. In addition to funding university research, the company is the only electric utility in North America to operate its own large-scale research institute, L' Institut de recherche d'Hydro-Québec (IREQ). Established by Lionel Boulet in 1967,
6806-531: Was projected that the line would either run in existing right-of-way adjacent to the HVDC line that runs through New Hampshire, or it would have connected to a right-of-way in northern New Hampshire that runs through the White Mountains . This 180-to-190-mile (290 to 310 km) line, projected to carry 1,200 megawatts, would have brought electricity to approximately one million homes. In order to go ahead,
6889-484: Was ±450 kV or 900 kV from line to line. The line was planned to extend beyond the two terminals at Des Cantons and Comerford to the hydroelectric power plants of the La Grande Complex , in the James Bay region of Québec, and to the high consumption area around Boston , Massachusetts — specifically, by 1,100 kilometres (680 mi) to the north toward the converter station at Radisson Substation , and to
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