In fact, no energy is wasted or unused.
To meet the needs of Quebecers, we have 63 hydropower generating stations in Québec that provide us with clean and inexpensive energy, in addition to contracts with private producers – who, for example, operate wind farms and small privately-owned generating stations – that were signed following government decrees.
On an annual basis, it is true that we have a surplus in energy – in 2014, Hydro-Québec’s customers consumed 174.9 TWh. However, no energy is wasted: the energy not used here is either sold on external markets or stored in our reservoirs. Note that our exports generated more than $800 million for Québec last year.
That said, each year, during the winter peak, we must purchase electricity on neighboring markets to meet power demand. In fact, power demand varies based on the seasons and periods of the day. It could, at a given moment, exceed the total maximum power capacity of Hydro-Québec’s generating stations, i.e., 36,000 MW. The historic peak reached on January 22, 2014, was more than 39,000 MW.
To better understand the difference between power and energy, see the diagram below: