La Cité d’Énergie is the main tourist attraction in the otherwise sleepy post-industrial Shawinigan. It’s one way the town is trying to reinvent itself as its population is declining for better opportunities in larger cities. The science centre is easily distinguishable by its 115-metre-tall pylon that has been converted into an observation tower.
Hydroelectric complex 
NAC power plant 
First a boat… 
…then a bus to get there.
The building below the tower houses a science centre and the Jean Chrétien Museum. The main attraction, however, are the scheduled tours to visit a still-active hydroelectric power plant that started supplying electricity to Montreal over a century ago.
The rover flows at a constant 700 cubic metres per second providing power via the Shawinigan 2 and 3 power plants. These are only two of the nine power plants that use the power of the St. Maurice river coming down from 444 meters above sea level. A dam lets water out through another waterway in the event of an emergency as the facility only has 24 minutes to respond to changes in water flow.
Cutaway of NAC plant 
Cutaway of NAC plant 
Shawinigan 1 plant 
Decommissioned generators
Since the amalgamation of Hydro-Québec, electricity distribution has been more efficient than having a half dozen regional companies do the work. Over 95% of the province’s energy is produced by water power. The newer power plants have generators placed on a vertical axis with water brought down by gravity as older generators on a horizontal axis have with water pushing up to act against gravity, making them up to three times less efficient.
Inside a penstock 
Shawinigan 2 (left), and tool shop (right)
The Shawinigan 1 and NAC (Northern Aluminium Company) power plants have been deactivated and used for educational tours. The Shawinigan 2 plant is included in the tour but visitors have to check in their electronics to a locker and register with their ID.
It’s well worth the combo price of around $20 especially considering tours are limited to 90 people a day.
