Umair Gaines
The Hydro-Electric Commission (HEC) was a Tasmanian government enterprise that was the main electricity generator in Tasmania, Australia. It was originally oriented towards hydroelectricity due to Tasmania's high rainfall and dramatic topography. The HEC was responsible for the development of hydro-electric power stations and the transmission of electricity. While it is unclear which specific appliances were approved by the HEC, it is known that they played a significant role in the hydro-industrialization of Tasmania, with politicians' careers rising or falling based on their alignment with the HEC's power development schemes. The HEC was broken up in 1998, resulting in the formation of Hydro Tasmania, which continues to operate hydro-electric power stations and invest in wind farms.
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What You'll Learn
Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario
The Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, also known as HEPC or Ontario Hydro, was established in 1906 by the provincial Power Commission Act. Its purpose was to build transmission lines to supply municipal utilities with electricity generated by private companies already operating at Niagara Falls.
The first chairman of the commission was Adam Beck, who was an advocate for publicly owned electricity. In 1908, just two years after its formation, the commission entered into agreements with 14 municipalities to provide power at cost. By 1914, the commission was supplying over 100 municipalities but was facing a power shortage. To address this, the commission was forced to purchase power from the private Toronto Power Company.
As the demand for electricity continued to grow, the commission began to develop its own generation resources. It acquired private generation stations and became a major designer and builder of new stations. In 1921, it acquired the Toronto Electric Light Company, making it the largest electric power system in the world. The commission also expanded into coal-fired generation and nuclear-powered facilities.
By the 1950s, the commission was operating as a single integrated system and continued to expand its generation system, bringing online many new hydroelectric stations. In 1974, the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario was renamed Ontario Hydro, and by the 1990s, it had become one of the largest, fully integrated electricity corporations in North America.
In 1998, the provincial legislature passed the Energy Competition Act, which restructured Ontario Hydro into separate entities responsible for electrical generation, transmission/delivery, and price management, with a final goal of total privatization. Ontario Hydro ceased operations on April 1, 1999, and was replaced by several companies, including Ontario Power Generation and the Ontario Hydro Services Company.
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Hydro Tasmania
The HEC's primary focus was on hydro-electricity due to Tasmania's topography and relatively high rainfall in certain areas. Over time, the HEC's influence over the Tasmanian environment and politics grew, and it faced backlash from environmental groups in the 1970s and 1980s for its incursions into the southwest wilderness of Tasmania, including the flooding of Lake Pedder for the Upper Gordon Power Development.
In anticipation of Tasmania joining the National Electricity Market (NEM) and electricity deregulation in the 1990s, the HEC was broken up on July 1, 1998, creating three separate state-owned companies: Hydro Tasmania, Transend Networks, and Aurora Energy. Hydro Tasmania has since continued to invest in renewable energy sources, including wind farms and carbon-neutral operations.
Today, Hydro Tasmania operates 30 hydro-electric and one gas power station, and is a joint owner in three wind farms. In 2020, Tasmania achieved an annual renewable electricity capacity of 10 TWh, equivalent to its average annual electricity consumption.
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Tasmanian Hydro-Electric Department
The Hydro-Electric Department, later known as the Hydro-Electric Commission, was established by the Tasmanian Government in 1914 to oversee the construction of the state's first hydro-electric power station, the Waddamana Hydro-Electric Power Station.
The Hydro-Electric Department was converted into a public corporation in 1930, becoming the Hydro-Electric Commission of Tasmania. This change brought about a shift in its management structure, granting it autonomy from the executive government. The Commission was tasked with managing existing infrastructure and controlling the state's water resources, in addition to its primary objective of generating and supplying electricity.
The Hydro-Electric Commission played a significant role in the hydro-industrialisation of Tasmania, notably with the upper Gordon River power development schemes. This project drew worldwide criticism due to the flooding of Lake Pedder, leading to a backlash against the Commission's incursions into the southwest wilderness of Tasmania. Despite this, the Commission's influence over Tasmanian politics and the environment remained strong, impacting the careers of many Tasmanian politicians.
In the 1990s, in anticipation of Tasmania joining the National Electricity Market (NEM), the Hydro-Electric Commission was dissolved, giving rise to three separate state-owned entities: Hydro Tasmania, Transend Networks, and Aurora Energy. Hydro Tasmania, the main electricity generator in the state, currently operates 30 hydro-electric and one gas power station, in addition to holding stakes in several wind farms.
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Tasmanian Hydro-Electric Commission
The Hydro-Electric Commission (HEC) was established by the Government of Tasmania in 1914 as the Hydro-Electric Department, renamed in 1929. It was responsible for the construction of the state's first hydro-electric power station, the Waddamana Hydro-Electric Power Station. Prior to this, two private hydro-electric stations had already been opened, including the Launceston City Council's Duck Reach Power Station in 1895, one of the first hydro-electric power stations in the southern hemisphere.
The HEC was focused on the hydro-industrialisation of Tasmania, which led to the flooding of Lake Pedder for the Upper Gordon River Power Development. This caused backlash from environmental groups in the 1970s and 80s, who were concerned about the HEC's influence over the Tasmanian environment and politics.
In the early 1990s, in anticipation of Tasmania joining the National Electricity Market (NEM) and electricity deregulation, the HEC was broken up, creating three separate state-owned companies: Hydro Tasmania, Transend Networks, and Aurora Energy. Hydro Tasmania, the main electricity generator in Tasmania, currently operates 30 hydro-electric and one gas power station, and is a joint owner of three wind farms.
In 2008, Hydro Tasmania underwent upgrades to its existing structures as part of the 1,000 GWH Project, with a focus on becoming carbon neutral. In 2016, a fault in Basslink led to a six-month shutdown of the link to the mainland, creating a power crisis in Tasmania.
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Ontario Hydro's transmission and retail services
The Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, or Ontario Hydro, was a publicly owned electricity utility in the Province of Ontario. It was established in 1906 to build transmission lines to supply municipal utilities with electricity generated by private companies at Niagara Falls. Over time, Ontario Hydro developed its own generation resources, eventually becoming one of the largest, fully integrated electricity corporations in North America.
Ontario Hydro's transmission system covered a vast network, with over 130,000 km of transmission and distribution lines. This extensive network interconnected with other utilities, including Detroit Edison in the United States and various locations in New York State.
In terms of retail services, Ontario Hydro had a significant customer base, providing power to an estimated 3 million customers in Ontario across its 650,000 km2 jurisdiction. The utility entered into agreements with municipalities to supply power, and by 1992, it had agreements with 316 cooperating municipalities.
When Ontario Hydro ceased operations in 1999, its transmission and retail energy services were retained by the Ontario Hydro Services Company (OHSC). OHSC operates independently and is responsible for owning and maintaining Ontario's transmission network, ensuring fair access to the transmission system for all participants.
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Frequently asked questions
The Hydro-Electric Commission (HEC) was a Tasmanian government enterprise that was the main electricity generator in Tasmania, Australia. It was renamed from the Hydro-Electric Department, which was set up in 1914 to complete the first hydro-electric power station in Tasmania.
The Hydro-Electric Commission was responsible for approving and controlling certain features of utility operations. The HEC was also involved in the hydro-industrialisation of Tasmania, which included the upper Gordon river power development schemes.
The Hydro-Electric Commission was broken up in 1998, creating three separate state-owned companies: Hydro Tasmania, Transend Networks, and Aurora Energy. Hydro Tasmania is the main successor to the HEC and operates 30 hydro-electric and one gas power station, as well as being a joint owner in several wind farms.
