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[edit]

Shawinigan Water & Power Company was founded on January 15, 1898, by American businessman John Edward Aldred[1] (who was the president) and John Joyce,[2] and then joined by Andrew Frederick Gault, H. H. Melville, Thomas McDougall, and Louis-Joseph Forget. The company was named for where it was based: Shawinigan, Quebec.

Power assets[edit]

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[2]

In 1956 the company had total generating capacity at 1284 MW from the six active power stations.[3]

Shawinigan Water & Power also generated power from two subsidiaries:

  • Quebec Power Company – 31.1MW from six stations near Quebec City[3]
  • Southern Canada Power Company Limited – 43.4 MW from five stations on St. Francis River and other tributaries in the Eastern Townships[3]

Clients[edit]

  • Shawinigan Carbide
  • Belgo Pulp and Paper Mills

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Martin, Thomas Commerford; Coles, Stephen Leidy (1919). The Story of Electricity, Vol. I. New York City: M.M. Marcy. p. 128. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "The birth of a company – the history of hydroelectricity in Quebec".
  3. ^ a b c "Canadian Register – the Shawinigan Water and Power Company, Montreal …". Archived from the original on February 19, 2013.