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| Chronology | |
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| About the author | |
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| About the photographs | |
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| References | |
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| Leaders | |
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| Milestones | |
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| The language of numbers |
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History of Electricity in Québec
1944: Creation of the Québec Hydro-Electric Commission
On April 14, the provincial government passed a law expropriating the electric and gas assets of Montreal Light, Heat and Power Company Consolidated and transferring their ownership and administration to the Québec Hydro-Electric Commission, today Hydro-Québec.
1944-1959: Development of generating facilities
One after the other, Hydro-Québec undertook construction of the second section of Beauharnois generating station, Carillon peak-load power station, Bersimis-1 and Bersimis-2, the third section of Beauharnois generating station and, in 1959, the Manic-Outardes complex.
1962: A new head office
Hydro-Québec's employees moved out of the old "Power Building" at the corner of Saint Antoine (formerly Craig Street) and Saint-Urbain, which it had inherited from MLH&P in 1944. Hydro-Québec's new head office, at 75 Dorchester Boulevard West (now René-Lévesque Boulevard), was inaugurated on June 8, 1962.
1963: Second phase of nationalization
On May 1, Hydro-Québec acquired most of the private electricity distributors through a takeover bid. Forty-five of the 46 electricity cooperatives and many municipal distribution systems accepted Hydro-Québec's subsequent buyout offer.
1965: Foray into nuclear technology
Hydro-Québec signed an agreement with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) to construct an experimental nuclear generating station, Gentilly-1. Hydro-Québec later built another nuclear plant, Gentilly-2, for commercial production. A 1980 moratorium put an end to construction of new nuclear facilities in Québec.
1967: Founding of Hydro-Québec's Institut de recherche en électricité (IREQ)
Hydro-Québec established a world-class research centre to benefit from progress in technology.
1968: Inauguration of Daniel-Johnson dam
At Manic-5, Hydro-Québec inaugurated the world's largest multiple-arch dam: the Daniel-Johnson dam. The Manic-Outardes complex produced other world records: Manic-2, the largest hollow gravity dam; Manic-3, with its double cutoff wall reaching a depth of more than 120 metres in the Manicouagan River bed; and transmission lines carrying power at an unprecedented 735 kV.
1968: Completion of Tracy generating station
Hydro-Québec finished construction of Tracy generating station, a legacy from Shawinigan Water and Power Company. Tracy is Hydro-Québec's only conventional oil-fired power plant currently in service.
1969: Signature of an agreement with Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corporation [CF(L)Co]
Under the terms of an agreement with CF(L)Co, Hydro-Québec gained access to almost all the electricity generated at Churchill Falls until the year 2041.
1971: Launch of the "project of the century"
Hydro-Québec commenced development of the La Grande complex at James Bay. Project management was assigned to Société d'énergie de la Baie James, which subsequently became a wholly owned subsidiary of Hydro-Québec. In 1996, when the final generating station, Laforge-2, was commissioned, La Grande became the most imposing hydroelectric facility in the world.
1975: Signature of the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement
Hydro-Québec signed an unprecedented social contract that established the rights and responsibilities of two First Nations-Cree and Inuit-and of the other parties involved, as well as the terms and conditions that were to govern resource development in the James Bay territory.
1978: Creation of Hydro-Québec International (HQI)
Hydro-Québec's new subsidiary was given a mandate to export Hydro-Québec expertise.
1981: Creation of Nouveler
Nouveler was responsible for developing new energy sources and promoting energy efficiency. Nouveler was restructured in 1997, becoming a venture capital company-Hydro-Québec CapiTech, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hydro-Québec.
1987: Inauguration of Hydro-Québec's Laboratoire des technologies électrochimiques et des électrotechnologies (LTEE) in Shawinigan
The laboratory has a mandate to support the development of industrial applications for electricity. In May 2002, its name was shortened to Laboratoire des technologies de l'énergie (LTE).
1996: Creation of the Régie de l'énergie du Québec
The Government of Québec established Québec's energy board, an agency responsible for regulatory supervision of energy transmission and distribution.
1997: Acquisition of a stake in Noverco
Hydro-Québec acquired a large stake in Noverco, a holding company that owns natural gas supplier Gaz Métro, Limited Partnership.
1997: Opening of the North American wholesale electricity market
Hydro-Québec gave the entire North American market access to its transmission system. It created a new division, Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie, to offer all its customers reliable, high-quality power transmission. HQ Energy Services (U.S.), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hydro-Québec, obtained a licence as a power marketer in the U.S. wholesale market.
1999: Rate freeze
Hydro-Québec ordered a freeze on electricity rates until 2002. This measure was subsequently extended to April 2004.
2000: Billion-dollar income
Hydro-Québec's net income broke the billion-dollar barrier for the first time ($1.078 billion).
2001-2002: Creation of new divisions
Hydro-Québec Distribution, Hydro-Québec Production and Hydro-Québec Équipement (the latter established in 2002) were added to Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie (created in 1997), bringing the number of divisions to four. In early 2002, Hydro-Québec Distribution filed its first Electricity Supply Plan with the Régie de l'énergie.
2002: A historic agreement
On February 7, the Government of Québec signed a historic agreement with the Grand Council of the Crees, paving the way for two major hydroelectric projects at James Bay: Eastmain-1 generating station, to be followed by Eastmain-1-A and the Rupert River diversion.
