Safety first!
I have my own squad of 12 volunteer firefighters, who are always ready to act quickly while the municipal fire department arrives. They can also help out with local fires.
Visit the Îles‑de‑la‑Madeleine thermal generating station!
Îles‑de‑la‑Madeleine, QC
The energy of an entire community
I’m sure that when you think of Hydro‑Québec, you think of hydropower. But the government corporation also operates other types of generating stations to supply isolated communities.
This is the case in Les Îles‑de‑la‑Madeleine, a community that has always relied on fuel oil to meet its energy needs. I’m like a gigantic generator. With my six 11,000 kilowatt generating sets, I supply electric power to nearly 13,000 people.
I’m also modern and environmentally conscious. For example, I use recycled water, which reduces my fresh water consumption by 70%. My system for recovering the heat released by my motors also saves a lot of energy. Pretty good, right?
My guides will tell you even more if you come visit me. I look forward to welcoming you to my beautiful part of the world!
Feast your eyes!
Have a look at these pictures to get a sneak peek of your guided tour.
Did you know?
Like ship engines
I have six 11,000‑kilowatt diesel engines. They are like those used on many ships. Technicians who have studied at the Institut maritime du Québec oversee their maintenance.
A personalized service
The 7.2‑km2 Île d’Entrée is the only inhabited island that isn’t connected to the archipelago by land. The few dozen people who live there can count on their own generating station that has a capacity of 1,150 kilowatts.
Cutting-edge expertise
There has not been a blackout in Les Îles‑de‑la‑Madeleine since 2009. That’s because the teams on site have developed world-class expertise in operating a diesel‑fired generating station.
My history
I was built in Cap‑aux‑Meules in the early 1990s, and I’m quite proud to serve the archipelago’s 13,000 inhabitants, with the help of some 80 employees. In recent years, we’ve gotten a good bit of help from the wind energy generated by the 6.4‑MW Dune‑du‑Nord wind farm.
1944: First phase of electricity nationalization in Québec
1949: Birth of the electricity cooperative
The electrification of Les Îles‑de‑la‑Madeleine is relatively recent. At the very end of the 1940s, the island’s electricity cooperative was created. It contributed to the archipelago’s electrification. At the time, shares cost $5 each and were tirelessly sold by those who were committed to the initiative. Isaac Boudreau (1913‑1978) was one such person. He was a resident of Les Îles‑de‑la‑Madeleine who became a Hydro-Québec employee following the second phase of electricity nationalization in 1963. He even worked at Hydro‑Québec’s Institut de recherche en électricité (IREQ) from 1973 onwards.
December 1953: Inauguration of the first thermal generating station in Îles‑de‑la‑Madeleine.
Source: © Musée de la mer des Îles‑de‑la‑Madeleine
1953: Inauguration of the electricity cooperative’s generating station
1960: Beginning of the Quiet Revolution in Québec
1962: Election of Jean Lesage’s Liberal Party (Maîtres chez nous!)
1976: First election of René Lévesque’s Parti Québécois
It’s well worth the trip!
Don’t take our word for it: this is what the people who visited the thermal generating station with our guides had to say.
I really appreciated the knowledgeable guide and her explanations.
Good explanation of the site and the technology.
Thank you very much! I think it’s great that we can tour our generating station.
Reservations and practical information
Visitors aged 18 and over must present official photo ID.
(Accepted ID: health insurance card, driver’s license or passport)
At a glance
Free admission
Reservations are required at all times and must be made at least 24 hours in advance.
Length of tour
About 75 mins
Tours start at set times. We recommend that you arrive 15 minutes in advance.
Tour schedule
From mid-June to the end of August
Monday to Friday
Tours start at
9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
School tours
Looking for original tours featuring science, history and technical know-how? Hydro‑Québec’s got just the ticket!
Check it out!
Contact information
Îles-de-la-Madeleine Generating Station
1034, chemin de La Vernière
Cap‑aux‑Meules (Québec) G4T 1R3
Tel : 1 418 986-7276Tel : 1 418 986-7276 (between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.)
Get in touch by email.
Know before you go
(yes, really, it’s important!)
Book your tour!
Free admission
Reservations are required at
all times
and must be made at least
24 hours in advance.
To reserve a free guided tour in
English, please call
1 418 986‑7276
1 418 986‑7276
.
Get in touch by
email.
