HYDRO ONE

'Hydro One Incorporated' delivers electricity across the Canadian province of Ontario. It is a Crown corporation wholly owned by the Government of Ontario.
Hydro One traces its history to the early 20th century to the establishment of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, renamed as "Ontario Hydro" in 1974.
In October, 1998 the provincial government passed the "Energy Competition Act" which restructured Ontario Hydro with the aim of privatizing all electrical generating and transmission/delivery.
On December 8, 2006, the CEO Tom Parkinson resigned due to the controversy surrounding use of company property and improper processing of personal expenses.[1]

Contents

System Information

History

Restructuring

See Also

References

External links

System Information

Hydro One's Transmission Line voltages are 500,000 volts, 230,000 volts and 115,000 volts. Hydro One has interconnections with Manitoba Hydro, Hydro-Québec, Minnesota Power, Detroit Edison/ITC, Niagara Mohawk Power and the New York Power Authority.

History

Main articles: Ontario Hydro

Hydro One was originally part of the 'Hydro-Electric Power Commission' of Ontario or Ontario Hydro which was established in 1906 by the provincial Power Commission Act to build transmission lines to supply municipal utilities with electricity generated by private companies already operating at Niagara Falls. The first chairman was Adam Beck, minister without portfolio in the provincial government of Sir James P. Whitney. Beck had been a prominent advocate of a publicly owned electricity grid.
In the 1920s the commission began generating and distributing its own power when it was given the mandate to electrify rural areas. Besides building its own generating stations, it bought the transmission lines and generators of the largest private electricity company.
In 1974 the Power Corporation Act reorganized the system as a crown corporation called 'Ontario Hydro', the name it was most usually known by.
In 1998, the PC government of Mike Harris passed the Energy Competition Act which authorized the establishment of a market in electricity. In April 1999, Ontario Hydro was re-organized into five successor companies: Ontario Power Generation, the Ontario Hydro Services Company (later renamed Hydro One), the Independent Electricity Market Operator (later renamed the Independent Electricity System Operator), the Electrical Safety Authority, and Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation. The two commercial companies, Ontario Power Generation and Hydro One, were intended to eventually operate as private businesses rather than as crown corporations.
By 2001, Hydro One had acquired 88 municipal utilities. In 2001, the provincial government announced its intention to make an Initial Public Offering of stock in Hydro One. However, in 2002 the Supreme Court of Ontario found that the provincial government lacked the authority to proceed with this offering.
In 2002 an electricity market began operating. However, critics questioned, among other things, whether the market was truly competitive or could ever become competitive, given that an electricity grid is not a private good. Public dismay at an increase in prices led the government of Harris's successor, Ernie Eves, to freeze electricity prices for residential and small business consumers. This freeze was maintained after the Liberal party of Dalton McGuinty replaced the PC government in 2003. The freeze was removed and prices were raised in April, 2004, and have been increased again subsequently.

Restructuring

Ontario Hydro was restructured on April 1, 1999 into five separate entities: Ontario Power Generation, the 'Ontario Hydro Services Company', the Independent Electricity Market Operator (later renamed the Independent Electricity System Operator), the Electrical Safety Authority, and Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation.
On May 1, 2000 the Ontario Hydro Services Company was renamed 'Hydro One Incorporated' and reorganized as a holding company with five subsidiaries:

★ Hydro One Networks Inc.

★ Hydro One Remote Communities Inc.

★ Hydro One Markets Inc.

★ Hydro One Telecom Inc.

★ Ontario Hydro Energy Inc.
Between 1998 to 2000, Hydro One acquired 88 municipal electrical utilities. Numerous local/municipal distribution companies were also consolidated during this time. Hydro One's master control facility is located at 49 Sarjeant Drive, in Barrie.
In December 2001 the provincial government announced the intention to sell Hydro One under an initial public offering, however by April 2002 various groups in opposition to the plan were able to successfully challenge the government in the Supreme Court of Ontario, forcing a halt to the IPO.
In May 2002 the provincial government went ahead with the launch of an open electricity market, even though generating and distribution remained under control of the government.
Effective December 8 2006, President and CEO Tom Parkinson's resignation was accepted.[2]

See Also

★ Helicopter AirStair

References

★ 2005 Annual Report (PDF)

External links

★ Hydro One

★ History Timeline produced by Hydro One

★ Hydro One annual reports available from 2000-2005

★ Ontario Ministry of Energy

★ Ontario Power Generation

★ Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation

★ Your Utility Costs - Ontario Hydro Electricity

★ Ontario Electricity news articles

★ Hydro One