Shawinigan Water & Power Company

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

References
  1. http://hydroelectricite.ca/en/the-birth-of-a-company.php
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