Building begins on facility linking Canada hydropower to NYC

Hydro-Québec Unified Corporate Structure advances the energy transition through integrated planning, strategy, infrastructure delivery, and customer operations, aligning generation, transmission, and distribution while ensuring non-discriminatory grid access and agile governance across assets and behind-the-meter technologies.

Key Points

A cross-functional model aligning strategy, planning, and operations to accelerate Quebec's low-carbon transition.

✅ Four groups: strategy, planning, infrastructure, operations.

✅ Ensures non-discriminatory transmission access compliance.

✅ No staff reductions; staged implementation from Feb 28.

As Hydro-Que9bec prepares to play a key role in the transition to a low-carbon economy, the complexity of the work to be done in the coming decade requires that it develop a global vision of its operations and assets, from the drop of water entering its turbines to the behind-the-meter technologies marketed by its subsidiary Hilo. This has prompted the company to implement a new corporate structure that will maximize cooperation and agility, including employee-led pandemic support that builds community trust, making it possible to bring about the energy transition efficiently with a view to supporting the realization of Quebecers’ collective aspirations.

Toward a single, unified Hydro

Hydro-Québec’s core mission revolves around four major functions that make up the company’s value chain, alongside policy choices like peak-rate relief during emergencies. These functions consist of:

1. Developing corporate strategies based on current and future challenges and business opportunities
2. Planning energy needs and effectively allocating financial capital, factoring in pandemic-related revenue impacts on demand and investment timing
3. Designing and building the energy system’s multiple components
4. Operating assets in an integrated fashion and providing the best customer experience by addressing customer choice and flexibility expectations across segments.

Accordingly, Hydro-Québec will henceforth comprise four groups respectively in charge of strategy and development; integrated energy needs planning; infrastructure and the energy system; and operations and customer experience, including billing accuracy concerns that can influence satisfaction. To enable the company to carry out its mission, these groups will be able to count on the support of other groups responsible for corporate functions.

Across Canada, leadership changes at other utilities highlight the need to rebuild ties with governments and investors, as seen with Hydro One's new CEO in Ontario.

“For over 20 years, Hydro-Québec has been operating in a vertical structure based on its main activities, namely power generation, transmission and distribution. This approach must now give way to one that provides a cross-functional perspective allowing us to take informed decisions in light of all our needs, as well as those of our customers and the society we have the privilege to serve,” explained Hydro-Québec’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Sophie Brochu.

In terms of gender parity, the management team continues to include several men and women, thus ensuring a diversity of viewpoints.

Hydro-Québec’s new structure complies with the regulatory requirements of the North American power markets, in particular with regard to the need to provide third parties with non-discriminatory access to the company’s transmission system. The frameworks in place ensure that certain functions remain separate and help coordinate responses to operational events such as urban distribution outages that challenge continuity of service.

These changes, which will be implemented gradually as of Monday, February 28, do not aim to achieve any staff reductions.

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Heathrow Airport Power Outage 2025 disrupted operations with mass flight cancellations and diversions after a grid failure, exposing infrastructure resilience gaps, crisis management flaws, and raising passenger compensation and safety oversight concerns.

Key Points

A grid failure closed Heathrow, causing mass cancellations and diversions, exposing resilience and communication lapses.

✅ Grid fire triggered airport-wide shutdown

✅ 1,400+ flights canceled or diverted

✅ Inquiry probes resilience, communication, compensation

On March 21, 2025, Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest, suffered a catastrophic power outage, similar to another high-profile outage seen at major events, that led to the cancellation and diversion of over 1,400 flights, affecting nearly 300,000 passengers and costing airlines an estimated £100 million. The power failure, triggered by a fire at an electricity substation in west London, left Heathrow with a significant operational crisis. This disruption is even more significant considering that Heathrow is one of the most expensive airports globally, which raises concerns about its infrastructure resilience and broader electricity system resilience across Europe.

In a parliamentary committee meeting, Heathrow officials admitted that vulnerabilities in the airport’s power supply were flagged just days before the outage. Nigel Wicking, Chief Executive of the Heathrow Airline Operators' Committee (HAOC), informed MPs that concerns regarding power resilience had been raised on March 15, following disruptions caused by cable thefts impacting runway lights. Despite these warnings, the airport’s management did not address the vulnerabilities urgently, even as UK net zero policies continue to reshape infrastructure planning, which ultimately led to the disastrous outage.

The airport was closed for a day, with serious consequences for not only airlines but also the surrounding community and businesses. British Airways alone faced millions of pounds in losses, and passengers experienced significant emotional distress, missing vital life events like weddings and funerals due to flight cancellations. The committee is now questioning officials from National Grid and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks to better understand why Heathrow’s infrastructure failed, in the context of a cleaner grid following the British carbon tax that reduced coal use, how it communicated with affected parties, and what measures will be taken to compensate impacted passengers.

Heathrow’s Chief Executive, Thomas Woldbye, defended the closure decision, stating it would have been disastrous to keep the airport open under such circumstances. He noted that continuing operations would have left tens of thousands of passengers stranded and would have posed safety risks due to the failure of fire surveillance and CCTV systems. However, Wicking, representing the airlines, pointed out that Heathrow’s lack of resilience was unacceptable given the amount spent on the airport, emphasizing the need for better infrastructure, including addressing SF6 in switchgear during upgrades, and more transparent management practices.

Looking forward, the MPs intend to investigate the airport’s emergency preparedness, why the resilience review from 2018 wasn’t shared with airlines, and whether enough preventative measures were in place amid surging data demand that could strain electricity supplies. The outcome of this inquiry could have lasting effects on how Heathrow and other major airports handle their infrastructure and crisis management systems, as drought-driven hydro challenges demonstrate the wider climate stresses on power networks.

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Hydro Quebec Power Consumption Record surges amid extreme cold, peak demand, and grid stress, as Hydro-Quebec urges energy conservation, load management, and reduced heating during morning and evening peaks across Montreal and southern Quebec.

Key Points

Quebec's grid hit 40,300 MW during an extreme cold snap, setting a new record and prompting conservation appeals.

✅ Lower thermostats 1-2 C in unused rooms during peak hours

✅ Delay dishwashers, dryers, and hot water use to off-peak

✅ Peak windows: 6-9 a.m. and 4-8 p.m.; import power if needed

Hydro Quebec says it has once again set a new record for power consumption, echoing record-breaking demand in B.C. in 2021 as extreme cold grips much of the province.

An extreme cold warning has been in effect across southern Quebec since Friday morning, straining the system, just as Calgary's electricity use soared during a frigid February, as Quebecers juggle staying warm and working from home.

Hydro Québec recorded consumption levels reaching 40,300 megawatts as of 8 a.m. Friday, breaking a previous record of 39,000 MW (with B.C. electricity demand hit an all-time high during a similar cold snap) that was broken during another cold snap on Jan 11. 

The publicly owned utility is now asking Quebecers to reduce their electricity consumption as much as possible today and tomorrow, a move consistent with clean electricity goals under federal climate pledges, predicting earlier in the morning the province would again reach an all-time high.

Reducing heating by just one or two degrees, especially in rooms that aren't being used, is one step that people can take to limit their consumption. They can also avoid using large appliances like the dishwasher and clothing dryer as often, and shortening the use of hot water. 

"They're small actions, but across millions of clients, it makes a difference," said Cendrix Bouchard, a spokesperson with Hydro Québec, while speaking with Tout un matin.

"We understand that asking this may pose challenges for some who are home throughout the day because they are working remotely, but if people are able to contribute, we appreciate it."

The best time to try and limit electricity usage is in the morning and evening, when electricity usage tends to peak, Bouchard said.

The province can import electricity from other regions if Quebec's system reaches its limits, even as the utility pursues selling to the United States as part of its long-term strategy, he added.

Temperatures dropped to –24 C in Montreal at 7 a.m., with a wind chill of –29 C. 

It will get colder across the south of the province through the evening and wind chills are expected to make it feel as cold as – 40 until Saturday morning, Environment Canada warned.

Those spending time outdoors are at a higher risk of frostbite and hypothermia.

"Frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, especially with wind chill," Environment Canada said.

Conserving energy
Hydro-Québec has signed up 160,000 clients to a flexible billing plan similar to BC Hydro's winter payment plan that allows them to pay less for energy — as long as they use it during non-peak periods.

Quebec's energy regulator, the Régie de l'énergie, also forces crypto-currency mining operations to shut down for some hours  on peak-demand days, a topic where BC Hydro's approach to crypto mining has also drawn attention, Bouchard said.

Hydro-Québec says the highest consumption periods are usually between 6 a.m.-9 a.m. and 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

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BC Hydro Winter Payment Plan lets customers spread electricity bills over six months during cold weather, easing costs amid colder-than-average temperatures in British Columbia, with low-income conservation support, energy-saving kits, and insulation upgrades.

Key Points

Allows BC Hydro customers to spread winter electricity bills over six months, with added low-income efficiency support.

✅ Spread Dec-Mar bills across six months

✅ Eases costs during colder-than-average temperatures

✅ Includes low-income conservation and energy-saving kits

As colder temperatures set in across the province again this weekend, BC Hydro says it is activating its winter payment plan to give customers the opportunity to spread out their electricity bills as demand can reach record levels during extreme cold periods.

"Our meteorologists are predicting colder-than-average temperatures will continue over the next of couple of months and we want to provide customers with help to manage their payments," said Chris O'Riley, BC Hydro's president.

All BC Hydro customers will be able to spread payments from the billing period spanning Dec. 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018 over a six-month period.

Cold weather in the second half of December 2017 led to surging electricity demand that was higher than the previous 10-year average and has at times hit all-time highs during peak usage periods, according to BC Hydro.

Hydro operations also respond to summer conditions, as drought and low rainfall can force adjustments in power generation strategies.

People who heat their homes with electricity — about 40 per cent of British Columbians —  have the highest overall bills in the province, $197 more in December than in July, when air conditioning use can affect energy costs.

This is the second year the Crown corporation has activated a cold-weather payment plan, part of broader customer assistance programs it offers.  

BC Hydro has also increased funding for its low-income conservation programs by $2.2 million for a total of $10 million over the next three years. 

The low-income program provides energy-saving kits that include things like free energy assessments, insulation upgrades and weather stripping. 

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Pennsylvania Clean Energy Employment surges, highlighting workforce growth in energy efficiency, solar, wind, grid and storage, and alternative transportation, supporting COVID-19 recovery, high-wage jobs, manufacturing, construction, and statewide economic resilience.

Key Points

Jobs across clean power, efficiency, grid, storage, and advanced transport fueling Pennsylvania's workforce growth.

✅ 8.7% job growth from 2017-2019, outpacing statewide average

✅ 97,000+ employed across efficiency, solar, wind, grid, and fuels

✅ 75% earn above median; strong full-time opportunities

The 2020 Pennsylvania Clean Energy Employment Report has been released, and Gov. Tom Wolf is energized by it.

This "comes at an opportune time, as government and industry leaders look to strengthen Pennsylvania's workforce and economy in response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic," Wolf said Monday in a prepared statement. "This detailed analysis of data and trends in clean energy employment ... demonstrates the sector was a top job generator statewide, and shows which industries were hiring and looking for trained workers."

Foremost among the findings, released Monday, is that the clean energy sector was responsible for adding 7,794 jobs from 2017 through 2019. That is an 8.7% average job growth rate, well above the 1.9% overall average in the state, according to a news release from Wolf's office.

This report lists employment data in five industries: energy efficiency; clean energy generation; alternative transportation; clean grid and storage; and clean fuels, while some cleaner states still import dirty electricity in regional markets.

The energy efficiency industry was the biggest clean energy employer in the state last year, with more than 71,400 state residents working in construction, technology and manufacturing jobs related to energy-efficient systems.

Solar energy workers comprised the largest share of the clean energy generation workforce – 35.4%, or 5,173 individuals. Solar employment increased 8.3% from 2017 to 2019, while there was a slight decline nationwide amid clean energy job losses reported in May.

Wind energy firms employed 2,937, and policy moves such as Ontario's clean electricity regulations signal broader market shifts, with more than 21% of those roles in manufacturing.

Job losses, though, were recorded in nuclear generation (minus 4.5%) and coal generation (minus 8.6%) over the two-year period, as electricity deregulation remains a point of debate in the sector. This mirrors national declines in both categories.

Federal efforts to support coal community revitalization are channeling clean energy projects to hard-hit regions.

Natural gas electric generation capacity doubled across Pennsylvania over the past decade; even as residents could face winter electricity price increases according to recent reports, employment still grew 13.4% from 2017 through 2019. But increasing output from unconventional wells has outpaced demand, sparking reductions in siting and drilling for new wells.

The Clean Energy Employment Report was released along with – and as part of – the 2020 Pennsylvania Energy Employment Report, which asserts that energy remains a large employer in the state, and new clean energy funding announcements underscore the sector's momentum. As of the last quarter of 2019, according to the larger report, energy accounted for 269,031 jobs, or 4.5% of the overall statewide workforce.

Wolf, in summary, said: "This report shows that workforce training investment decisions can benefit Pennsylvanians right now and position the state going forward to grow and improve livelihoods, the economy and our environment."

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Texas Electricity Complaints surged to a three-year high, highlighting Public Utility Commission data on billing disputes, meter problems, and service issues in the competitive retail electricity market and consumer protection process.

Key Points

Consumer filings to Texas PUC about billing, service, and meters, with 2018 reaching a three-year high.

✅ 5,371 complaints/inquiries in FY2018; 43.8% involved billing disputes.

✅ Service issues 15.8% and meters 12.6%; PUC publishes complaint stats.

✅ Advocates urge monitoring to keep deregulated retail market healthy.

The number of electricity service-related complaints and inquiries filed with the state’s Public Utility Commission reached a three-year high this past fiscal year, an advocacy group said Tuesday.

According to the Texas Coalition for Affordable Power, a nonprofit that advocates for low electricity prices, Texans filed 5,371 complaints or inquiries with the commission between September 2017 and August of this year. That’s up from the 4,175 complaints or inquiries filed during the same period in 2017 and the 4,835 filed in 2016. The complaints and inquiries included concerns with billing, meters and service.

“This stark uptick in complaints is disappointing — especially after several years of generally improving numbers,” Jay Doegey, the coalition's executive director, said in a written statement. “In percentage terms, the year-to-year rise in complaints is the greatest in a decade. Clearly, many Texans remain frustrated with aspects of their electric service.”

The utility commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While complaints and inquiries increased in 2018, the number of complaints and inquiries has generally decreased since 2009, when Texans filed 15,956 with the commission. That could be because there have been lower residential electricity prices and because Texans have become more familiar with the state’s competitive retail electricity system over the last decade, the coalition's report said.

And complaints from 2018 are well below 2003 levels, when the number of complaints and inquiries soared to more than 17,000, a year after Texas deregulated most of its electricity market structure at the time.

But Jake Dyer, a policy analyst at the coalition, said his group is closely watching the uptick in complaints this year as the Texas power grid faces recurring strains.

“We are invested in making sure the competition works,” Dyer said. “When you see an uptick like this, you should watch very closely to make sure the market remains healthy and to make sure there is not something else going on.”

However, Dyer said that it is too early to know what that something else that is going on might be.

According to the report, concerns about billing made up most of the complaints and inquiries filed this year at 43.8 percent. That’s up from 42.5 percent in fiscal year 2017. Concerns about the provision of electrical service and about electrical meters also ranked high, constituting 15.8 percent and 12.6 percent of the complaints and inquiries, respectively.

The Public Utility Commission publishes customer complaint statistics on its website. The Texas Coalition for Affordable Power takes into account both complaints and inquiries filed with the commission for its report in order “to gauge general consumer sentiment and to maintain a uniform methodology across the study period.”

Texans can file an official complaint with the the commission's Customer Protection Division. Under the complaint process, the complaint is sent to the electric company, which has 21 days to respond.

Some providers outside the competitive market, such as electric cooperatives, drew praise for performance during the 2021 winter storm.

Following the 2021 winter storm, Texas lawmakers proposed an electricity market bailout to stabilize costs and reliability.

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