Our Generation Assets

With 11 turbines and a rated capacity of 5,428 MW, the Churchill Falls Generating Station in Labrador is the largest hydroelectric generating plant in our province, the second largest underground hydroelectric plant in North America and one of the largest underground powerhouses in the world. On average, the plant generates over 34 terawatt hours of energy annually. Churchill Falls is also a community for the individuals who operate this facility, and their families.  

Churchill Falls first produced commercial power in 1971 and marked 50 years of operation in 2021 – Learn more about the history of this plant. 

In February 2023, the Churchill River Management Expert Panel published their recommendations. You can find them on the Panel’s website. 

For more information, visit the Churchill Falls community website. 

Producing 824 MW of electrical power, Muskrat Falls Hydroelectric Generating Station is located on the lower Churchill River in Labrador. The plant came into service in 2020 – consisting of a spillway, three dams and a powerhouse, it is the second-largest hydroelectric plant in our province. 

In Central Newfounland, water from Victoria Lake is directed through an array of constructed dams and canals through hydroelectric facilities at Granite Canal and Upper Salmon to its final destination in Bay d’Espoir. These three plants work together to generate a total of 729 MW of power for our Bay d’Espoir System. 

Bay d’Espoir Hydroelectric Generating Station (604 MW)

The seven generating units at Bay d’Espoir generate 604 MW of electrical power – an average of 2,650 GWh annually – making it the largest hydroelectric plant on the island of Newfoundland. 

Bay d’Espoir came into service in 1967 and marked 50 years of operation in 2017.  Learn more about the history of the plant.

Upper Salmon Hydroelectric Generating Station (84 MW)

Located within our Bay d’Espoir system, this unit was first synchronized in 1983. The Upper Salmon Development uses Meelpaeg Lake Reservoir and Round Pond to generate 84 MW of electrical power with an average annual production of 570 GWh.

Granite Canal Hydroelectric Generating Station (41 MW)

Located within our Bay d’Espoir system, this unit was first synchronized in 2003. The plant generates 41 MW of electrical power with an annual average production of 220 GWh.   

As part of Hydro’s commitment to the environment, a 45,000 m² fish habitat compensation facility was included in this development to ensure any aquatic habit loss was avoided, reduced or replaced. A Fish Habitat Compensation Agreement was signed with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to ensure proper construction, utilization and long-term viability of the facility. 

We have an additional eight hydroelectric generating stations, mostly peppered across the island of Newfoundland. From Labrador, to the tip of the Northern Peninsula, through Central and down to the Burin Peninsula, these facilities all help to lend a hand powering customers throughout our province with reliable energy.

Cat Arm Hydroelectric Generating Station (134 MW)

Located on the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland, this plant was synchronized in 1985. Two units work to generate a total 134 MW of electrical power with an average annual production of 680 GWh. 

Exploits System (80 MW)

Our teams operate the Exploits Generation System on behalf of the Provincial Government. There are three hydroelectric facilities on the Exploits system (Star Lake, Grand Falls and Bishop’s Falls), which have a total electrical generating capacity of 80 MW for the island interconnected grid. As part of these operations, our teams work to protect the Atlantic salmon run, working closely with our partners at Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Environmental Resources Management Association.
Learn more about how our teams are supporting Atlantic salmon migration on the Exploits River.

Hinds Lake Hydroelectric Generating Station (75 MW)

Located on the eastern shore of Grand Lake, and making use of Hinds Lake, this unit was first synchronized in 1980. The plant generates 75 MW of electrical power with an average annual production of 340 GWh.

Menihek Hydroelectric Generation Station (18 MW)

Located in Labrador, this plant was first synchronized in 1954. The plant generates 18 MW of electrical power with an average production of 47 GWh. All power generated at Menihek is sold to Hydro Quebec. 

Paradise River Hydroelectric Generating Station (8 MW)

Located near the mouth of Paradise River on the Burin Peninsula, this unit was first synchronized in 1989. The plant generates 8 MW of electrical power with an average annual production of 36 GWh. Operating under a run-of-river philosophy, this project has a 43m high concrete arch dam with an overflow spillway – at the time of construction it was the largest structure of this design in Eastern Canada.

Roddickton Mini Hydro Plant (0.4 MW) (not currently operating)

Located on Marble Brook, near the Town of Roddickton on the Northern Peninsula, this mini hydro plant was synchronized in 1975. This single unit plant is supplied with water through a buried polyethelene penstock to generate approximately 400 kilowatts (kW) of electrical power.

Through Power Purchase Agreements with non-utility generators, the Rattle Brook Hydroelectric Generating Station also works to supplement our own generating capacity.

Located in the Town of Holyrood and bordering Conception Bay South, this thermal generating facility burns 0.7 per cent sulphur No.6 fuel and consists of three turbines with a total generating capacity of 490 MW. 

The Holyrood Thermal Generating Plant has the capacity to generate up to 40 per cent of the island’s annual energy needs, if necessary.  

Holyrood came into service in 1970 and marked 50 years of operation in 2020. Interested in the history of the plant? Check out this story from the Retro Hydro Hub: Holyrood Celebrates 50 Years.

Our teams operate four gas/combustion turbines – one in Labrador (Happy Valley-Goose Bay) and three on the island (Stephenville, Holyrood and our Hardwoods gas turbine in Paradise). Our gas/combustion turbine fleet helps to provide reserve capacity, if needed, during times of high customer demand and provides over 245 MW of backup generation in the event of a system outage. The turbines in Labrador, Paradise and Stephenville also provide an extra layer of reliability as they have synchronous condenser capabilities and work to stabilize electricity before it reaches our customers. 

For many rural communities across our province, diesel fuel is the sole source of electricity, as the most affordable, reliable option for firm supply in more remote areas. Our teams operate 23 remote diesel plants throughout our province. 

Seven of these plants are on the island (St. Brendan’s, McCallum, Francois, Grey River and Ramea). This number also includes the Hawke’s Bay and St. Anthony diesel operations which are not remote, but work to provide backup power for some communities on our Island Interconnected System, if needed.  

Our teams operate another 16 diesel plants which mostly stretch along the Labrador Coast (L’Anse-au-Loop, Mary’s Harbour, St. Lewis, Port Hope Simpson, Charlottetown, Norman’s Bay, Black Tickle, Cartwright, Paradise River, Mud Lake, Rigolet, Makkovik, Postville, Hopedale, Nain). This number also includes the diesel plant in Natuashish that our teams operate on behalf of Mushuau Innu First Nation. 

Through Power Purchase Agreements with non-utility generators, 27 MW wind farms in Fermuse and St. Lawrence also work to supplement our own generating capacity. 

Through Power Purchase Agreements with non-utility generators, the Corner Brook Pulp and Paper CoGeneration Unit also works to supplement our own generating capacity. 

The New World Dairy facility located in St. David’s, Newfoundland produces biogas through the anaerobic (i.e. without oxygen) decomposition of animal waste.  Biogas generators burn the gas to create heat which is used to turn a turbine and generate electricity.  Through Power Purchase Agreements with non-utility generators, this biogas facility also works to supplement our own generating capacity.  

Mary’s Harbour, Labrador is home to the province’s first-ever utility-scale solar farm. After refurbishing a previously decommissioned 240 kW hydroelectric power plant in 2018, a 190 kW solar photovoltaic plant with 335 kW of lithium-ion battery storage was completed in 2021. All these assets, which Hydro helped integrate into the community’s power system, are owned and operated by St. Mary’s River Energy and can produce and store renewable electricity to be used by local homes and businesses – reducing the amount of diesel burned in Mary’s Harbour by up to 30% annually. Hydro currently has a power purchase agreement with St. Mary’s River Energy.