Shawinigan Water & Power Company
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Established in 1898, the Shawinigan Water & Power Company was one of the dominant, privately owned hydroelectric companies in Canada until 1963, when it became a part of Hydro-Québec.
History
Founded on January 15, 1898 it was based in Shawinigan, Quebec, it was initially headed by American businessmen John Edward Aldred (who served as President) and John Joyce[1] and then joined by Andrew Frederick Gault, H. H. Melville, Thomas McDougall and Louis-Joseph Forget.
Power Assets
The company established various power station over the history of the company. Six power plants were built along the Saint-Maurice River in the 1920s[1]
- Shawinigan 1 7.5MW (c. 1901) - built at what is now Shawinigan Falls. Shawinigan-1 ceased production in the early 1950s.
- Shawinigan 2 200MW (1911-1929)
- Shawinigan 3 194MW (1946-1948)[1]
- La Gabelle 129MW (1924-1931)
- Rapide-Blanc 204MW (c. 1930)
- La Trenche 302MW (c. 1950)
- Beaumont 270MW (1958-1959)
In 1956 the company had total generating capacity at 1284 MW from the 6 active power stations.[2]
Shawinigan Water & Power also generated power from two subsidiaries:
- Quebec Power Company - 31.1MW from 6 stations near Quebec City[2]
- Southern Canada Power Company Limited - 43.4 MW from 5 stations on St. Francis River and other tributaries in the Eastern Townships[2]
Clients
- Shawinigan Carbide
- Belgo Pulp and Paper Mills
See also
- History of Hydro-Québec
- Edmond Thibaudeau
- List of hydroelectric stations in Quebec
- Gouin Reservoir
- Saint-Maurice River
- Tracy Thermal Generating Station