Charging Ahead

A revealing look at Hydro-Québec's past, present, and electrifying future.Hydro-Québec manages one of the largest power systems on the continent. It is among the most profitable, the least expensive, and the greenest. With a stunning renewable energy rate of 99.8%, Quebec has a two-generation advance on places like California and Ontario. Combining a reporter's style with thought, philosophy, and a touch of humour, Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoît Nadeau look into Hydro-Québec's future as the public utility marks the 75th anniversary of its founding. The future is now and it is electric. Charging Ahead spans widely diverse fields such as big data aggregation centers, exports to the United States, acquisitions in Mexico, Chinese buses, mega-batteries, bitcoins, charging stations, and much more. Between now and Hydro-Québec's 100th anniversary, the challenges will be vast. As habits and expectations change radically, everything will be on the table, from solar panels to rates, from remote heating control to underground power lines, and from the environment to relations with the indigenous peoples.