text:
Tukwila (processor)

The Itanium 9300 series, code-named Tukwila, is the generation of Intel's Itanium processor family following Itanium 2 and Montecito. It was released on 8 February 2010. It utilizes both multiple processor cores (multi-core) and SMT techniques. The engineers said to be working on this project were from the DEC Alpha project, specifically those who worked on the Alpha 21464 (EV8), which was focused on SMT.

Named for the city of Tukwila, Washington, Tukwila was previously code-named Tanglewood. The original name is also used by the Tanglewood music festival, and Intel renamed the project in late 2003.

The processor has two to four cores per die and up to 24 MB L3 of on-die cache. They are the first batch of processors to contain more than 2 billion transistors on a single die. This total is made up as follows:

 * core logic — 430 million
 * system interface — 157 million
 * L3 cache — 1,420 million
 * I/O logic — 39 million
 * chip total — 2.046 billion

Die size is 21.5×32.5 mm or 698.75 mm2.

Xeon compatibility
It was originally stated that Tukwila and its associated chipset would bring socket compatibility between Intel's Xeon and Itanium processors, by introducing a new interconnect called Intel QuickPath Interconnect (QuickPath, previously known as Common System Interface or CSI). This ultimate endeavor would help reduce product development costs for both Intel and its partners, by allowing for greater reuse of components and manufacturing processes. Tukwila is reported to have four "full" QuickPath links and two "half" links.

Whitefield, the first Xeon processor to feature QuickPath, suffered significant project delays and was cancelled. The first Xeon MP processor to feature QuickPath is Beckton.

The released Itanium 9300-series processors are using a separate socket, LGA 1248, which is incompatible with Xeon processors and motherboards.

Successor
The successor is code-named Poulson. It was initially slated for a Q4 2009 release and said to have over four cores, most likely eight.

In 2009 an Intel representative stated that Intel would maintain a two-year development cycle for Itanium, implying Poulson would be released in Q1 2012.

title: Tukwila (processor)


text:
Ablon

Ablon is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.

Geography
Ablon is 5 km south east of Honfleur and 16 km north-west of Pont-Audemer with its northern border on the Seine Estuary. It can be reached on Highway D580A from Honfleur turning right on the small country road called Cote de Vats to reach the village of Ablon. Road D140 (Route de Genneville) from Genneville in the south passes through the western side of the commune to join the D580a just outside the commune. The D144 road forms the southern border of the commune. Ablon is in the north-eastern corner of the Calvados department with its eastern border being the departmental border with Eure.

The Morelle river passes through the north of the commune from east to west although oddly does not form part of the commune. The Canal de Retour is parallel to it but also does not form part of the commune.

Toponymy
The name of the village is attested as far back as 1180 as Abelon.

One theory states that the town's name comes from the Norse Epi-lundr, meaning “apple orchard”. The nearby village of Yébleron shares this etymology. The ancient scandinavian lundr meaning orchard or wood has regularly been followed by the suffix -lon (for example, Bouquelon, Écaquelon, Yquelon, etc.).

Another theory suggests that the town's name derives from the Germanic personal name Abilo, followed by the suffix -o/-one, but this suffix does not usually accompany Germanic personal names. It has also been suggested that the name is based solely on the name ‘Abilo' with no suffix but the usage of a personal name with no suffix or epithet would be exceptional among Norman place names.

A third theory suggests that Ablon comes from the Germanic personal name Abbo followed by the suffix -lon. If this is the case the name of the town means “Abbo's wood”.

The similarity with the nearby village of Ablon-sur-Seine is coincidental.

History
In 1809, Ablon grew in size following its union with two neighbouring communes: Crémanville and Ableville.

Ablon was the site of a Nobel dynamite factory from 1879 until 1989. The factory ceased operations following an explosion on 3 March 1988 which killed 5, including the factory's director, and left 8 injured. Windows were broken more than a kilometre away in the village of Honfleur.

Administration
List of Successive Mayors of Ablon

Population
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Ablonnais or Ablonnaises in French.

Civil heritage
The commune has two buildings that are registered as historical monuments:
 * The Chateau of Ablon (1767 and 1845)
 * The Dynamite Factory (1885 to 1916). The factory contains several items that are registered as historical objects:
 * A Dreiswerke moulding machine (1952)
 * A Weighing machine (20th century)
 * A Nitroglycerine production line (20th century)

 * Other sites of interest:
 * La Houssaye Manor-farm

Religious heritage

The Parish Church of Saint-Pierre contains one item that is registered as an historical object:
 * A Baptismal font (12th century)

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Ablon


text:
Acqueville

Acqueville is the name of several communes in France:

 * Acqueville, Calvados, in the Calvados département
 * Acqueville, Manche, in the Manche département

title: Acqueville


text:
Polka Dot Shorts

Polka Dot Shorts is a Canadian children's television series produced by TVOntario, which has been broadcast around the world. It was created, produced, and edited by Jed MacKay. Approximately 180 episodes were produced from 1993 to 2001, all produced by MacKay and directed by Michael McNamara. The series won a Gemini Award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television in 2000 for "Best Pre-School Program or Series".

About
The series is based on Polka Dot Door, and stars the characters Polkaroo, Humpty, Dumpty, Bear and Marigold. The characters are portrayed by "physical theatre" actors in large costumes; Marigold's performer, for example, had a ballet and circus background. Charles P. Schott ("Bear") was a Gemini Awards finalist for "Best Performer in a Pre-School Series" in 2002.

Originally, each episode started with a human host (Deborah Drakeford) introducing the episode to a gathering of children as she was about to read the story from a book. The stories themselves were dramatized by actors in large suits, playing the puppets from Polka Dot Door, while the reader provided the dialogue. A new character was added to the Polka Dot Door family: Polkaroo's pet, Bibble. Although Bibble was only capable of making sounds that loosely resembled "bibblebibblebibble", he did so in various tones which indicated his mood.

At one point in every episode, one or more of the characters would discover a large pair of polka dot shorts, and exclaim, "A great big pair of polka dot shorts! How did they get there?" Polkaroo's response would be, "I haven't the foggiest!"

Some episodes were done entirely in rhyme, in which case the character who found the polka dot shorts would exclaim, "Polka dot shorts, a great big pair! How on earth did they get there?"

After the first two seasons the episodes were re-edited. The human hostess/storyteller was deleted, and the show would begin immediately.

The show has been broadcast on the CBBC and Living TV's morning slot Tiny Living in the UK as well as being released on video by Abbey Home Media. A live theatre production toured across the UK in the early 2000s.

Characters
Polkaroo (played by Greg Lanthier, voiced by Andrew Sabiston): A green kangaroo-like animal with yellow hair, a red nose, a long yellow furry tail, a red-and-yellow polka dot on his neck and a gown covered in polka dots. He appears in every episode. He lives in a small house with his pet Bibble. He enjoys having his friends round to play and is mostly the one who finds the polka dot shorts. He sometimes talks in rhyme, and when his friends argue or do something he doesn't like, he often interrupts them with "Excuse me".

Bibble: Polkaroo's mischievous pet which looks like a multi-coloured mop head covered in pom-poms. Often seen moving about making a "bibbly" sound, hence his name. He likes to pull pranks, and sometimes annoys the others with them.

Humpty (played by Line Roberge, voiced by Tony Daniels): A big green egg with purplish hair and a white nose. He wears a burgundy coloured suit patterned with pink roses, a tie with a large H on it, and green boots. Humpty is playful and sometimes a bit mischievous, but he always goes out of his way to help his friends. When the gang start to feel scared or nervous, he often says "Pull yourself together." He is Dumpty's older brother.

Dumpty (played by Brunella Battista, voiced by Julie Lemieux): Humpty's younger brother. He is brown coloured with a blue checked nose. He wears a cream-coloured cap with the letter D on it, a blue bow tie, a blue suit with flowers and checks on it, and brown boots. The youngest of the group, he loves to help and wants to fit in. He sometimes annoys his older brother Humpty, but deeply cares for him.

Bear (played by Charles P. Schott, voiced by Brian Moffatt): A brown bear who is Polkaroo's best friend and wears a green bow tie with white polka dots. He has a great fondness for honey, speaks with a posh accent, and can sometimes be a bit of a show-off. He often says "Coincidence, I think not."

Marigold (played by Alisa Walton, voiced by Deborah Drakeford): A kind-hearted doll with orange yarn-like hair in pigtails. She wears a green dress with flowers on it, yellow-and-white striped leggings, and black buckle shoes. She loves gardening and grows many different plants. She often says "You know what? I'll tell you what."

Series 1 (1994)
Shadow Dancer

The Rookie

Treasure Map

Goodnight Polkaroo

The Ball That Got Broken

Just For Two

Series 2 (1995)
Sweet and Sour Surprise

Small Comfort

Whip Whop Woes

Thunder Bear

Bibble's Bubble Bath

Rainbow Bird

Humpty's Fair Share

Not Enough Helpers

A Star Is Born

Great White Bibble

Home Sweet Home

Cutler in The Cake

Phantom of The Nursery Rhyme

Polkaroo of The Jungle

Aloha

Unbearable

The Holden Pear

Sleeping Beauty

Show Me The Honey

Royal Visit

Humptanic

King Dumpty

Kla Two

Picture Perfect

Knock Knock

Jack and The Beanstalk

Cereal Bowl

A Windy Day

Lots of Spots

The Sandwich

Seasons Greetings Polkaroo

Series 3 (1996)
Badge of Merit

Polkaroo The Painter

Hooray for Dumpty

In The Bag

Incredible Shrinking Plant

Big Boot

Polkarobot

Vote For Me

The Bibble Ra

Bibble Day

Magnet Mayhem

Polkaroo's Tanksgiving

The Snowman

Bibbles Birthday

Knock on Wood

Pardon My Garden

The Great Obstacle Race

The Wonderfully Marvelous Thingamajig

Series 4 (2004)
A Champion Chomper

title: Polka Dot Shorts


text:
Acqueville, Calvados

Acqueville is a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region of northwestern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune of Cesny-les-Sources.

Geography
Acqueville is located some 25 km south of Caen and 10 km east of Thury-Harcourt. It lies in a flat farming area on the D157 road which runs south from Cesny-Bois-Halbout through the centre of Acqueville south to join the D6 which forms the southern border of the commune. The north-western border of Acqueville is formed by Highway D23 while the north-eastern border is Highway D156. In the east and west the border is formed by several country roads. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of L'Outre in the west, Puant in the east, and Le Buisson in the south-west.

The Ruisseau de Bactot flows through the commune from south-west to north-east where it continues to join the Laize north-east of Moulines.

Toponymy
Acqueville was called Akevilla in 1204: the German or Scandinavian anthroponym Aki or Aka, and in Latin a "rural villa".

Administration
List of Successive Mayors of Acqueville

 * Mayors from 1939

The council was composed of eleven members, including the mayor and two deputies.

Population
The inhabitants of Acqueville are known as Acquevillais or Acquevillaises in French.

Civil heritage
The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:
 * A Farmhouse at Puant (1760)
 * The Chateau de la Motte (1614 and 1694)
 * The Park of the Chateau de la Motte (16th century)
 * A Farmhouse at la Cour Fontaine (18th century)
 * A Farmhouse (1783)
 * A House (18th century)
 * Houses and Farms (17th to 19th centuries)
 * A Manor House (15th century)

Religious heritage
The commune has two religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:
 * The Church of Saint-Aubin (13th century)
 * A Cemetery Cross at the Church of Saint-Aubin (18th century)

title: Acqueville, Calvados


text:
Talk:Beavis and Butt-Head

Disclaimers
The following part of the article, in bold, is not exactly accurate:

MTV also responded by broadcasting the program after 11:00 p.m., and included a disclaimer, reminding viewers:

'''Beavis and Butt-Head are not real. They are stupid cartoon people completely made up by this Texas guy whom we hardly even know. Beavis and Butt-Head are dumb, crude, thoughtless, ugly, sexist, self-destructive fools. But for some reason, the little wienerheads make us laugh.'''

This was later changed to:

'''Beavis and Butt-Head are not role models. They're not even human. They're cartoons. Some of the things they do would cause a person to get hurt, expelled, arrested, possibly deported. To put it another way: don't try this at home.'''

The wording implies the time change and disclaimers were all because of the Ohio fire incident in Moraine, Ohio. Actually, the time change is the only part of that that's accurate. The show was indeed taken off of it's 7PM slot and shown only at late night in response to that incident.

But the first disclaimer, "Beavis and Butt-Head are not real... " was actually added in May of 1993, many months before any fire controversy.

And the second disclaimer, "Beavis and Butt-Head are not role models..." was added some time in early October, on the same date as or slightly before that incident and almost certainly could not have been a response to it, as it would take time for the accusation to reach MTV and for them to formulate a response.

I propose moving the disclaimers to a new section. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 73.63.138.112 (talk) 20:32, 21 October 2020 (UTC)

UK official TV home video charts success
The Beavis and Butt-head home video releases did very well in the UK, they often made the UK official TV video charts on numerous occasions, some with various releases at the same time and spent several consecutive weeks on the charts. I feel this should be noted with the article however now sure how best to display this with the home video releases without over extending the article?

Some official sources here from the certified official UK charts here:

18 August 1996 - 24 August 1996: https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/tv-on-video-chart/19960818/30/

16 February 1997 - 22 February 1997: https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/tv-on-video-chart/19970216/30/

01 June 1997 - 07 June 1997: https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/tv-on-video-chart/19970601/30/

06 July 1997 - 12 July 1997: https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/tv-on-video-chart/19970706/30/

07 September 1997 - 13 September 1997: https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/tv-on-video-chart/19970907/30/ (4 consecutive releases)

31 May 1998 - 06 June 1998: https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/tv-on-video-chart/19980531/30/

02 August 1998 - 08 August 1998: https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/tv-on-video-chart/19980802/30/

I do feel that with such significant success this should be noted, just not sure which is the best way to display this within the article?

Please note some of the charts have a couple of releases on the chart at the same time and these are certified chart positions in the UK.

Let me know what you think or if you guys want to edit this. UFC Cub Beavis (talk) 15:42, 31 May 2021 (UTC)

Couple things
I noticed in the initial revival report that “specials” were also planned. Then we got word of the second movie. But considering what we’ve seen of South Park’s Paramount+ content using the terms so interchangeably, is it possible we are in a similar situation with this project? As for the second thing, Mike Judge tweeted this out, "Beavis and Butt-Head will be returning this year with a brand new movie and more on Paramount+" and he doesn’t mention Comedy Central at all. I’m not going to change anything yet, but I do recommend getting ready for a shift.--CreecregofLife (talk) 06:55, 5 January 2022 (UTC)

What happened to AC/DC’s Ballbreaker tour?
I had added this with sources many times before but it keeps getting removed. Beavis and Butt-Head were vital to AC/DC’s Ballbreaker tour intro. What’s with the conspiracy about hiding this piece of history? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.88.191.16 (talk) 04:37, 10 October 2022 (UTC)

Total episodes
If we are going by what list and claiming two pilots episodes as 0. current episodes listed the count is 12+225=237 episodes
 * Pilots episodes 2
 * season 1 episodes 3
 * season 2 episodes 26 3+26=29
 * season 3 episodes 31 29+31=60
 * season 4 episodes 32 60+32=92
 * season 5 episodes 50 50+92=142
 * season 6 episodes 20 20+142=162
 * season 7 episodes 41 41+162=203
 * season 8 episodes 22 22+203=225
 * season 9 episodes 12

Saying 23+225=243, which is wrong. Would actually be 23+225=248 if it actually had 23 episodes in the new season. Which it clearly does not list 23 separate episodes, it still doesn't count to 243 episodes. P.greenlink (talk) 22:20, 16 March 2023 (UTC)

 * When you have been involved in a dispute with another editor, and you post on the article's Talk page in order to discuss and try to resolve the dispute, it's a common courtesy to notify the other editor(s) that you have done so, so that they can respond promptly. We typically do this using the mention (a/k/a reply or ping) template. I have invited Partyclams to this discussion by way of this post.  General Ization Talk  02:10, 17 March 2023 (UTC)
 * Again, go down the list. Number overall is listed. The current season has 23 episodes. Each segment counts as an episode. This is how it has always been. Production codes for the segments are 101A, 101B, 102A, 102B, etc.
 * Where are you getting 225? Season 8 ends at 220 episodes. Again, why are you incapable of looking at the episode guide? It lists in black and white the total overall episodes. Stop looking at just the series overview. Partyclams (talk) 18:49, 17 March 2023 (UTC)
 * Where am I getting 225? Well again as it was told to me the pilots are counted as 0 episodes, so it really starts with season 1. So it starts from based on series overview from season 1-8 3+26=29 29+31=60 60+32=92 92+50=142 142+20=162 162+41=203 203+22=225. That's where 225 comes from. [|Series overview] But if if we are counting each segment, then I guess the accepted overall count would be 248 if we are doing by segments. Then it is my mistake. But the proposed being 243 is not mine. — Preceding unsigned comment added by P.greenlink (talk • contribs) 19:46, 17 March 2023 (UTC)

Season 9-10 are not the same series
Why on Earth do you have the reboot series on Paramount+ (moving to Comedy Central in July, by the way) listed here as Seasons 9-10. They are not. They are seasons 1-2 of Mike Judge's Beavis and Butthead. Much as Will & Grace and Murphy Brown's reboots were not continuing the season numbers of the previous series. Wikipedia is a joke now, data online ruined by people like your editors trying to make up their own rules for things that are not determined by them. Doctor Who (2023) is yet another example. Exhausting.

2603:6000:8B00:6AFF:300E:A757:C08E:6962 (talk) 22:46, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

title: Talk:Beavis and Butt-Head


text:
Acqueville, Manche

Acqueville is a former commune in the Manche department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune La Hague.

title: Acqueville, Manche


text:
Talk:Hang Seng Index

Currency
The unit currency of the index should be mentioned in the article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.223.248.125 (talk) 22:44, 3 March 2012 (UTC)

HSCEI
I'm confused by a line in the first paragraph: "The recent market parallels to Japan's Nikkei 225 index thru the 1989 timeframe indicate a 85% or larger decline in the Hang Seng Index may occur over the next 12 months." That sounds like pure speculation. Either that needs explanation, or it needs to be removed.

Respectfully,

mldude —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.139.252.11 (talk) 03:59, 30 October 2007 (UTC)

Totally agree, could anyone place some elaboration on this matter or just purely remove this sentence. It is quite misleading.

Ricky

Dear all,

does anyone have information about this new Hang Seng Chinese Enterprice index. It's an index of Chinese state companies, i haven't found much information about it.

greetings

kebabco

41kinbi: The page "Hang Seng Index Constituent Stocks - Some information of constituent stocks" is very very outdated. I wonder why some of us insist in using it. Please read it in detail. Its last update was done in 1998. At least 5 constituent stocks have been changed from 1998 to 2003.

Moreover, some of us insist in direct copying from HSI.com.hk. This will put our group into the risk of zero mark due to plagiarism! Please, for the sake of our mark (and the copyright?!), do not copy but rewrite...

41kinbi: I think the content in "The Significance of Hang Seng Index in Stock Market" is irrelevant to the article. It is just describing why Hang Seng Bank is "good" instead of the Hang Seng Index. I would like to remove it... Any idea?

44AlanChan Dear all, I would like to add a part of Calculation formulas for HSI. Any idea?

46gabrielau:I think it is a good idea to introduce the Calculation method for HSI. I have made one of them, please feel free to give comments.

44AlanChan Hi all, I think for the calculation formulas, one is not enough, I think we can make one or two more in the pages, any ideas??

46gabrielau: well, what kind of formula you want to add besides its calculation method? as I just found this one, the 'Index Price/Earn Ration' and 'Index Dividend Yield'.... however, it seems that the page would got too many technique term.... as we haven't have any description on these other terms... it is just my opinion...

44AlanChan I get your point, actually I had found some formulas, but as you said, they are quite technique... so many be one is enough ...ok

41kinbi: May I delete this line "This article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by fixing it."? It is a bit annoying...

46gabrielau: I also have a question.... Copy from HSBC wikipedia "HSBC owns Hang Seng Bank after which the Hang Seng Index for stock prices in Hong Kong is named", if so... then HSI which is maintained by HSI Services Limited, which is a member of Hang Seng Bank, the second largest bank that is listed in Hong Kong. <= is this true any more?! HSI is the member of Hang Seng Bank but Hang Seng Bank is the member of HSBC.... so is there any changes shoould be made?

41kinbi: I agree with you... At least, Bank of China (HK) is larger than Hang Seng Bank. I am in doubt as well. Probably, Hang Seng Bank is not even in Top 3.

41kinbi: By the way, can anyone think of a better title for the links under External Links?  Company website (1) and  Company website (2) are not good enough. Does anyone figure out the difference between these two sites? I haven't gone through it in detail, but it seems that they are identical in content but not the layout.

46gabrielau: well, I go to both website.... & just discover they are really identical except the one of HSI Services have an cover page... but the following message appears when clicking some links in it. "HSI Services Limited's website address has been changed to www.hsi.com.hk Please kindly amend your bookmark!" so I prefer delete this repeated & old one. -- for the question about banks, I have no accurate information indeed, so cannot make decision either.... maybe someone can help to solve this out.

Hi, I think listing the 33 companies is a good idea but does anyone know if we can make two columns instead of one long one? If so, kindly edit it because it will look much neater :)

What do you think about grouping the 33 companies' links under external links?

Formatting, etc.
Hello everyone. You've all been doing great work creating the article. I think you might find the following pages helpful for your writing and formatting.

There are general guidelines at What Wikipedia is not and a comprehensive guide at Manual_of_Style.

Please also see How to edit a page and How to start a page for more basic information.

Thanks, BCorr ¤ Брайен 16:31, 25 Feb 2004 (UTC)

41gulzehra: Hi, when I was creating the table I noticed there are only 32 companies listed. Can someone please check which one is missing?

It look vy good to use table form to express the company!

41gulzehra: Hi, does anyone know how to get rid of the double line on top of the table? Also, I dont think we are allowed to insert the companies' homepage link within the Wikipedia text, perhaps move them to external links? or create a new subheading titled 'related links?' What do you think?

41kinbi: Done with the annoying double line on top of the table... I agree with the moving of the links. But, do you think it is too troublesome for users to go to the bottom of the page and look for the link of a particular company in a list of 33 companies...? Any better idea?

41gulzehra: Thanks! hmm maybe we should remove the links altogether? I think you're right, it will be quite troublesome, plus the list will be too long! Our page already has quite a lot of lists already. What do the others think?

41gulzehra: Hi again, the Tracker Fund site which we listed in our External Links already has the list of companies with links to their website. I think we should remove the links from the table then.

41kinbi: It's a good solution. And I'm going to add comments to that link. It seems that "Tracker Fund" is not meaningful to users because we have never mentioned it before.

41gulzehra: The constituent stocks that we listed in the table are not the same ones that are categorically listed later e.g. Amoy Properties, Wheelock are not in the table. Any idea why?

41kinbi: It's because the list should be updated... I've done it. Pls check :-)

Why the pause in the index?
can someone explain why at about 12:30pm the Hang Seng Index remains flat for a period of time? i've always found that odd.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=%5Ehsi —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.21.209.162 (talk) 05:18, 8 July 2008 (UTC)

Redirect issue of Hang Seng
Please discuss here --supernorton 11:04, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

Move discussion in progress
There is a move discussion in progress on Talk:Hang Seng (disambiguation) which affects this page. Please participate on that page and not in this talk page section. Thank you. —RMCD bot 02:19, 6 February 2024 (UTC)

title: Talk:Hang Seng Index


text:
Functional neuroimaging

Functional neuroimaging is the use of neuroimaging technology to measure an aspect of brain function, often with a view to understanding the relationship between activity in certain brain areas and specific mental functions. It is primarily used as a research tool in cognitive neuroscience, cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, and social neuroscience.

Overview

Common methods of functional neuroimaging include
 * Positron emission tomography (PET)
 * Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
 * Electroencephalography (EEG)
 * Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
 * Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)
 * Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)
 * Functional ultrasound imaging (fUS)

PET, fMRI, fNIRS and fUS can measure localized changes in cerebral blood flow related to neural activity. These changes are referred to as activations. Regions of the brain which are activated when a subject performs a particular task may play a role in the neural computations which contribute to the behaviour. For instance, widespread activation of the occipital lobe is typically seen in tasks which involve visual stimulation (compared with tasks that do not). This part of the brain receives signals from the retina and is believed to play a role in visual perception.

Other methods of neuroimaging involve recording of electrical currents or magnetic fields, for example EEG and MEG. Different methods have different advantages for research; for instance, MEG measures brain activity with high temporal resolution (down to the millisecond level), but is limited in its ability to localize that activity. fMRI does a much better job of localizing brain activity for spatial resolution, but with a much lower time resolution while functional ultrasound (fUS) can reach an interesting spatio-temporal resolution (down to 100 micrometer, 100 milliseconds, at 15 MHz in preclinical models) but is also limited by the neurovascular coupling.

Recently, Magnetic particle imaging has been proposed as a new sensitive imaging technique that has sufficient temporal resolution for functional neuroimaging based on the increase of cerebral blood volume. First pre-clinical trials have successfully demonstrated functional imaging in rodents.

Functional neuroimaging topics
The measure used in a particular study is generally related to the particular question being addressed. Measurement limitations vary amongst the techniques. For instance, MEG and EEG record the magnetic or electrical fluctuations that occur when a population of neurons is active. These methods are excellent for measuring the time-course of neural events (on the order of milliseconds,) but generally bad at measuring where those events happen. PET and fMRI measure changes in the composition of blood near a neural event. Because measurable blood changes are slow (on the order of seconds), these methods are much worse at measuring the time-course of neural events, but are generally better at measuring the location.

Traditional "activation studies" focus on determining distributed patterns of brain activity associated with specific tasks. However, scientists are able to more thoroughly understand brain function by studying the interaction of distinct brain regions, as a great deal of neural processing is performed by an integrated network of several regions of the brain. An active area of neuroimaging research involves examining the functional connectivity of spatially remote brain regions. Functional connectivity analyses allow the characterization of interregional neural interactions during particular cognitive or motor tasks or merely from spontaneous activity during rest. FMRI and PET enable creation of functional connectivity maps of distinct spatial distributions of temporally correlated brain regions called functional networks. Several studies using neuroimaging techniques have also established that posterior visual areas in blind individuals may be active during the performance of nonvisual tasks such as Braille reading, memory retrieval, and auditory localization as well as other auditory functions.

A direct method to measure functional connectivity is to observe how stimulation of one part of the brain will affect other areas. This can be done noninvasively in humans by combining transcranial magnetic stimulation with one of the neuroimaging tools such as PET, fMRI, or EEG. Massimini et al. (Science, September 30, 2005) used EEG to record how activity spreads from the stimulated site. They reported that in non-REM sleep, although the brain responds vigorously to stimulation, functional connectivity is much attenuated from its level during wakefulness. Thus, during deep sleep, "brain areas do not talk to each other".

Functional neuroimaging draws on data from many areas other than cognitive neuroscience and social neuroscience, including other biological sciences (such as neuroanatomy and neurophysiology), physics and maths, to further develop and refine the technology.

Critique and careful interpretation
Functional neuroimaging studies have to be carefully designed and interpreted with care. Statistical analysis (often using a technique called statistical parametric mapping) is often needed so that the different sources of activation within the brain can be distinguished from one another. This can be particularly challenging when considering processes which are difficult to conceptualise or have no easily definable task associated with them (for example belief and consciousness).

Functional neuroimaging of interesting phenomena often gets cited in the press. In one case a group of prominent functional neuroimaging researchers felt compelled to write a letter to New York Times in response to an op-ed article about a study of so-called neuropolitics. They argued that some of the interpretations of the study were "scientifically unfounded".

The Hastings Center issued a report in March 2014 entitled "Interpreting Neuroimages: An Introduction to the Technology and Its Limits", with articles by leading neuroscientists and bioethicists. The report briefly explains neuroimaging technologies and mostly critiques, but also somewhat defends, their current state, import and prospects.

title: Functional neuroimaging


text:
Hydro-Québec

Hydro-Québec is a Canadian Crown corporation public utility headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. It manages the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in Quebec, as well as the export of power to portions of the Northeast United States. More than 40 percent of Canada’s water resources are in Quebec and Hydro-Québec is the fourth largest hydropower producer in the world.

It was established as a Crown corporation by the government of Quebec in 1944 from the expropriation of private firms. This was followed by massive investment in hydro-electric projects like the James Bay Project. Today, with 63 hydroelectric power stations, the combined output capacity is 37,370 megawatts. Extra power is exported from the province and Hydro-Québec supplies 10 per cent of New England's power requirements. The company logo, a stylized "Q" fashioned out of a circle and a lightning bolt, was designed by Montreal-based design agency Gagnon/Valkus in 1960.

In 2018, it paid CA$2.39 billion in dividends to its sole shareholder, the Government of Quebec. Its residential power rates are among the lowest in North America.

1945–1959: beginnings and development
In Quebec, advocates for the creation of a public hydroelectric utility protested against high costs, poor rural electrification, and the lack of French speakers in management positions in hydroelectricity companies. In 1944, Montreal Light, Heat & Power company was nationalised, along with its subsidiary, Beauharnois Power, and Hydro-Québec was created to manage the companies.

Quebec Premier Adélard Godbout adopted a policy of investing 10 million dollars per year in rural electrification. However, in 1944 the government changed, and the new premier Maurice Duplessis was opposed to any form of government intervention in the economy. Local cooperatives were created to bring power to rural areas. Duplessis remained in power until 1960, and during that time there were no further nationalisations of companies, and Hydro-Québec mostly served the Montreal area.

Major projects included:
 * Bersimis-1 generating station completed in 1956, 1,125 MW
 * Bersimis-2 generating station completed in 1959, 845 MW
 * Beauharnois Hydroelectric Generating Station completed in 1961, 1,903 MW.
 * Carillon Generating Station built 1959–1964, 752 MW

Between 1944 and 1962, Hydro-Québec's installed capacity increased from 616 to 3,661 MW while lowering residential power rates by half in the Montreal area.

1960–1979: the second nationalization
Duplessis's conservative reign, now known as the Grande Noirceur, ended when he died in office in 1959. The subsequent election of the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Jean Lesage, marked the beginning of the Quiet Revolution, a period of reform and modernization. In 1962, the US government lent Quebec $300 million. The funds were used to acquire independent power companies. The new government gave Hydro-Québec an exclusive mandate to develop new sites. In 1963 the government authorized it to acquire private electricity distributors, including the Gatineau Power Company and the Shawinigan Water & Power Company Hydro-Québec achieved province-wide scope. All of the 46 rural coops accepted Hydro-Québec's 1963 buyout offer, except Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-Rouville which still exists. In 1964, the Province of British Columbia provided the Province of Quebec with a $100 million loan. $60 million from that loan went to Hydro-Québec. The loan faced controversy in the Quebec legislature. Major projects during this period included:
 * Manicougan-Outardes Project, a 7-dam hydroelectric complex including the Jean-Lesage generating station (1,145 MW), René-Lévesque generating station (1,244 MW), and the Daniel-Johnson Dam (2,596 MW), originally named Manic-2, Manic-3, and Manic-5 respectively. Because these stations were 700 kilometres (400 miles) away from the urban centres in southern Quebec, through transmission line voltage was stepped up to 735 kV for the first time anywhere, led by engineer Jean-Jacques Archambault.
 * Churchill Falls Generating Station, 5,428 MW. The station is in Labrador and the government of Quebec negotiated a contract where Hydro-Québec buys power from the project at 1969 prices until the year 2041. That contract has been a source of conflict between the two provinces.
 * Phase I of the James Bay Project.
 * Hydro-Québec worked with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited to build the CANDU reactor equipped Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station, which closed in 2012.

1980–1996: restructuring
Because of the economic climate, demand for electricity dropped significantly in the early 1980s, which led to structural changes at Hydro-Québec. It became a joint stock company whose sole shareholder is Government of Québec, to which it pays an annual dividend. It was also given the mandate to export power and to work in any energy-related field.

In 1986 the Quebec – New England Transmission began bringing power from the James Bay Project 1,100 kilometers (700 miles) south to the Boston area.

Phase II of the James Bay Project started in 1987 and took nine years to complete. Construction of the Denis-Perron Dam began in 1994.

1997–present: renewed growth
Like its counterparts in the North American utility industry, Hydro-Québec was reorganized in the late 1990s to comply with electricity deregulation in the United States. The transmission division, TransÉnergie, was the first to be spun off in 1997, in response to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's publication of Order 888. In the same year, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted Hydro-Québec a licence to sell wholesale electricity at market prices, enabling Hydro-Québec to expand its market. Hydro-Québec also acquired a substantial share of Noverco, controller of natural gas distributor Gaz Métro, to participate in that market in northeastern North America. In 2002 the Agreement Respecting a New Relationship Between the Cree Nation and the Government of Quebec between the Grand Council of the Crees and the Quebec government made possible the development of the Eastmain Reservoir. The Eastmain-1-A and Sarcelle powerhouses and Rupert River diversion project were completed for $5,000 million CAD. This will provide water power to the turbines at Eastmain-1, Eastmain-1-A and Sarcelle powerhouses and will provide increased flow at the existing La Grande-1 generating station as well as Robert-Bourassa and the La Grande-2-A generator stations. Output will be 918 MW.

Other stations commissioned since 1997 are:
 * Sainte-Marguerite-3 in 2003, 882 MW.
 * Péribonka in 2008, 385 MW.
 * Rocher-de-Grand-Mère in 2004, 230 MW.
 * Eastmain-1 in 2007, 519 MW.
 * Rapide-des-Cœurs in 2009, 76 MW.
 * Chute-Allard in 2009, 62 MW
 * Mercier in 2009, 55 MW.
 * Eastmain-1A in 2012, 750 MW.
 * La Sarcelle in 2013, 159 MW.
 * Romaine-2 in 2014, 640 MW.
 * Romaine-1 in 2015, 270 MW.
 * Romaine-3 in 2017, 395 MW.
 * Romaine-4 scheduled to be completed in 2022, 245 MW.

Major outages
In 1988, all of Quebec and parts of New England and New Brunswick lost power because of an equipment failure at a substation on the North Shore. The March 1989 geomagnetic storm tripped circuit breakers on the transmission network causing a nine-hour Quebec-wide blackout.

In the North American ice storm of 1998, five days of freezing rain collapsed 600 km of high voltage power lines and over 3000 km of medium and low voltage distribution lines in southern Quebec. Up to 1.4 million customers were without power for up to five weeks.

Corporate structure

Hydro-Québec has created separate business units dealing with the generation, transmission, distribution and construction. In 2017, production division generated 1.9B $ of net income (68.4%), transmission division 0.55B$ (19.4%), distribution division 0.33B $ (11.7%), and construction division did not generate any income. Hydro-Quebec redistributes all profits back to the government. In 2017, the crown corporation contributed $4 billion to the Quebec government by means of net income ($2.8B), royalties ($0.7B), public utilities tax ($0.3B) and debt securities ($0.2B).

In the year 2000 with the adoption of Bill 116, which amended the Act respecting the Régie de l'énergie, to enact the functional separation of Hydro-Québec's various business units. Legislation passed in 2000 commits the generation division, Hydro-Québec Production, to provide the distribution division, Hydro-Québec Distribution, a yearly heritage pool of up to 165 TWh of energy plus ancillary services—including an extra 13.9 TWh for losses and a guaranteed peak capacity of 34,342 MW —at a set price of 2.79¢ per kWh. Order in council 1277-2001 specifies quantities to be delivered for each of the 8,760 hourly intervals, which vary from 11,420 to 34,342 MW.

According to the 2017 annual report the workforce stood at 19,786 employees, both permanent and temporary workers. And, a total of 1,304 employees were hired.

Privatization debate

In 1981, the Parti Québécois government redefined Hydro-Québec's mission by modifying the terms of the social pact of 1944. The government issued itself 43,741,090 shares worth C$100 each, and the amended statute stated that Hydro-Québec would now pay up to 75% of its net earnings in dividends. This amendment to the Hydro-Québec Act started an episodic debate on whether Hydro-Québec should be fully or partially privatized. In recent years, economist Marcel Boyer and businessman Claude Garcia—both associated with the conservative think tank The Montreal Economic Institute—have often raised the issue, claiming that the company could be better managed by the private sector and that the proceeds from a sale would lower public debt.

Without going as far as Boyer and Garcia, Mario Dumont, the head of the Action démocratique du Québec, briefly discussed the possibility of selling a minority stake of Hydro-Québec during the 2008 election campaign. A Léger Marketing poll conducted in November 2008 found that a majority of Quebec respondents (53%) were opposed to his proposal to sell 7.5% of the company's equity to Quebec citizens and businesses, while 38% were in favour.

Commenting on the issue on Guy A. Lepage's talk show, former PQ Premier Jacques Parizeau estimated that such an idea would be quite unpopular in public opinion, adding that Hydro-Québec is often seen by Quebecers as a national success story and a source of pride. This could explain why various privatization proposals in the past have received little public attention. The liberal government has repeatedly stated that Hydro-Québec is not for sale.

Like many other economists, Yvan Allaire, from Montreal's Hautes études commerciales business school, advocate increased electricity rates as a way to increase the government's annual dividend without resorting to privatization. Others, like columnist Bertrand Tremblay of Saguenay's Le Quotidien, claim that privatization would signal a drift to the days when Quebec's natural resources were sold in bulk to foreigners at ridiculously low prices. "For too long, Tremblay writes, Quebec was somewhat of a banana republic, almost giving away its forestry and water resources. In turn, those foreign interests were exporting our jobs associated with the development of our natural resources with the complicity of local vultures".

Left-wing academics, such as UQAM's Léo-Paul Lauzon and Gabriel Sainte-Marie, have claimed that privatization would be done at the expense of residential customers, who would pay much higher rates. They say that privatization would also be a betrayal of the social pact between the people and its government, and that the province would be short-selling itself by divesting of a choice asset for a minimal short term gain.

Power generation

On December 31, 2013, Hydro-Québec Production owned and operated 61 hydro plants —including 12 of over 1,000 MW capacity — with 26 major reservoirs. These facilities are located in 13 of Quebec's 430 watersheds, including the Saint Lawrence, Betsiamites, La Grande, Manicouagan, Ottawa, Outardes, and Saint-Maurice rivers. These plants provide the bulk of electricity generated and sold by the company.

Non-hydro plants included the baseload 675-MW gross Gentilly nuclear generating station, a CANDU-design reactor which was permanently shut down on December 28, 2012 the 660-MW Tracy Thermal Generating Station, a heavy fuel oil-fired plant shutdown in March 2011 and two gas turbine peaker plants, for a total installed capacity of 36,971 MW in 2011. Hydro-Québec's average generation cost was 2.11 cents per kWh in 2011.

The company also purchases the bulk of the output of the 5,428-MW Churchill Falls generating station in Labrador, under a long-term contract expiring in 2041. In 2009, Hydro-Québec bought the 60% stake owned by AbitibiBowater in the McCormick plant (335 MW), located at the mouth of the Manicouagan River near Baie-Comeau, for C$616 million.

In 2013, the energy sold by Hydro-Québec to its grid-connected customers in Quebec and exported to neighboring markets came almost exclusively from renewable sources. Hydro (96.78%) is by far the largest source, followed by wind (2.16%) and biomass, biogas and waste (0.75%). The remainder came from nuclear (0.19%) and thermal (0.12%) generation. Emissions of carbon dioxide (1,130 tonnes/TWh), sulfur dioxide (4 tonnes/TWh) and nitrogen oxides (10 tonnes/TWh) were between 49 and 238 times lower than the industry average in northeastern North America. Imported electricity bought on the markets account for most of these emissions.

Transmission system
Hydro-Québec's expertise at building and operating a very high voltage electrical grid spreading over long distances has long been recognized in the electrical industry. TransÉnergie, Hydro-Québec's transmission division, operates the largest electricity transmission network in North America. It acts as the independent system operator and reliability coordinator for the Québec interconnection of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation system, and is part of the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC). TransÉnergie manages the flow of energy on the Quebec network and ensures non-discriminatory access to all participants involved in the wholesale market. The non-discriminatory access policy allows a company such as Nalcor to sell some of its share of power from Churchill Falls on the open market in the State of New York using TransÉnergie's network, upon payment of a transmission fee.

In recent years, TransÉnergie's Contrôle des mouvements d'énergie (CMÉ) unit has been acting as the reliability coordinator of the bulk electricity network for Quebec as a whole, under a bilateral agreement between the Régie de l'énergie du Québec and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of the United States.

TransÉnergie's high voltage network stretches over 33630 km, including 11422 km of 765 and 735 kV lines, and a network of 514 substations. It is connected to neighbouring Canadian provinces and the United States by 17 ties, with a maximum reception capacity of 10,850 MW and a maximum transmission capacity of 7,994 MW.

Interconnections
The TransÉnergie's network operates asynchronously from that of its neighbours on the Eastern Interconnection. Although Quebec uses the same 60 hertz frequency as the rest of North America, its grid does not use the same phase as surrounding networks. TransÉnergie mainly relies on back to back HVDC converters to export or import electricity from other jurisdictions.

This feature of the Quebec network allowed Hydro-Québec to remain unscathed during the Northeast Blackout of August 14, 2003, with the exception of 5 hydro plants on the Ottawa River radially connected to the Ontario grid at the time. A new 1250-MW back to back HVDC tie has been commissioned at the Outaouais substation, in L'Ange-Gardien, near the Ontario border. The new interconnection has been online since 2009 and the 315 kV line is fully operational since 2010.

One drawback of the TransÉnergie network involves the long distances separating the generation sites and the main consumer markets. For instance, the Radisson substation links the James Bay project plants to the Nicolet station near Sainte-Eulalie, south of the Saint Lawrence, over 1200 km away.

Investments
In 2011, TransÉnergie invested C$1.3 billion in capital expenditures, including C$460 million to expand its network.

In addition to the new tie with Ontario, the company plans to build a new 1200-MW direct current link between the Des Cantons substation at Windsor, Quebec in Quebec's Eastern Townships and Deerfield, New Hampshire, with an HVDC converter terminal built at Franklin, New Hampshire. The US segment of the US$1.1 billion line, would be built by Northern Pass Transmission LLC, a partnership between Northeast Utilities (75%) and NSTAR (25%). In order to go ahead, the project must receive regulatory approval in Quebec and the United States. The proposed transmission line could be in operation in 2015. According to Jim Robb, a senior executive from Northeast Utilities, New England could meet one third of its Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative commitments with the hydropower coming through this new power line alone.

Distribution

Hydro-Québec Distribution is in charge of retail sales to most customers in Quebec. It operates a network of 112089 km of medium and low voltage lines. The division is the sole electric distributor across the province, with the exception of 9 municipal distribution networks — in Alma, Amos, Baie-Comeau, Coaticook, Joliette, Magog, Saguenay, Sherbrooke and Westmount—and the electric cooperative of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Rouville.

Hydro-Québec Distribution buys most of its power from the 165-TWh heritage pool provided by Hydro-Québec Production at 2.79¢/kWh. The division usually purchases additional power by entering into long-term contracts after a public call for tenders. For shorter term needs, it also buys power from the neighboring systems at market prices. As a last resort, Hydro-Québec Production can also provide short-term relief. Supply contracts above and beyond the heritage pool must be approved by the Régie de l'énergie du Québec and their costs are passed on to customers.

The division signed one natural gas cogeneration agreement for 507 MW in 2003, three forest biomass deals (47.5 MW) in 2004 and 2005, and ten contracts for wind power (2,994 MW) in 2005 and 2008, all with private sector producers. It also signed two flexible contracts with Hydro-Québec Production (600 MW) in 2002.

Hydro-Québec Distribution is also responsible for the production of power in remote communities not connected to the main power grid. The division operates an off-grid hydroelectric dam serving communities on the Lower North Shore and 23 small diesel power plants in the Magdalen Islands, in Haute-Mauricie and in Nunavik.

Electric Circuit network

In April 2011 the government of Quebec published a plan to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles, setting a target of 25% of cars sold in 2020 to be electric. The plan also called for provincial utility company Hydro-Quebec to develop a strategy for the deployment of public charging infrastructure. This resulted in the creation of "The Electric Circuit" (Le Circuit Électrique), the largest public network of charging stations for electric vehicles in Quebec. The first 30 charging stations were put into use in March 2012. The network's first 400V fast charger was installed in 2013.

As of 2019, The Electric Circuit offers 2,389 public charging stations in Quebec and eastern Ontario. Usage is also compatible with the FLO and New Brunswick E-charge network adaptors.

Research and development

Hydro-Québec has made significant investments in research and development over the past 40 years. In addition to funding university research, the company is the only electric utility in North America to operate its own large-scale research institute, L'Institut de recherche d'Hydro-Québec (IREQ). Established by Lionel Boulet in 1967, the research centre is located in Varennes, a suburb on the South Shore of Montreal. IREQ operates on an annual research budget of approximately C$100 million and specializes in the areas of high voltage, mechanics and thermomechanics, network simulations and calibration.

Research conducted by scientists and engineers at IREQ has helped to extend the life of dams, improve water turbine performance, automate network management and increase the transmission capacity of high voltage power lines.

Another research centre, the Laboratoire des technologies de l'énergie (LTE) in Shawinigan, was opened in 1988 to adapt and develop new products while helping industrial customers improve their energy efficiency.

In the last 20 years, the institute has also conducted research and development work towards the electrification of ground transportation. Current projects include battery materials, including innovative work on lithium iron phosphate and nano-titanate, improved electric drive trains and the effects of the large-scale deployment of electric vehicles on the power grid. Projects focus on technologies to increase range, improve performance in cold weather and reduce charging time.

Hydro-Québec has been criticized for not having taken advantage of some of its innovations. An electric wheel motor concept that struck a chord with Quebecers, first prototyped in 1994 by Pierre Couture, an engineer and physicist working at IREQ, is one of these. The heir to the Couture wheel motor is now marketed by TM4 Electrodynamic Systems, a spin-off established in 1998 that has made deals with France's Dassault and Heuliez to develop an electric car, the Cleanova, of which prototypes were built in 2006. Hydro-Québec announced in early 2009 at the Montreal International Auto Show that its engine had been chosen by Tata Motors to equip a demonstration version of its Indica model, which will be road tested in Norway.

Construction
The Hydro-Québec Équipement division acts as the company's main contractor on major construction sites, with the exception of work conducted on the territory covered by the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, which are assigned to the Société d'énergie de la Baie James subsidiary.

The construction of a complex of four hydroelectric generating stations on the Romaine River (1,550 MW) began on May 13, 2009. The plants are scheduled to be built and commissioned between 2014 and 2020.

In his March 2009 inaugural speech, Quebec Premier Jean Charest announced that his government intends to further develop the province's hydroelectric potential. The call for further development of hydroelectric and other renewable generating capacity has been implemented in the company's 2009-2013 strategic plan, released on July 30, 2009. Hydro-Québec plans capacity upgrades at the Jean-Lesage (120 MW) and René-Lévesque (210 MW) stations and a third unit at the SM-3 plant (440 MW). The company will also conduct technical and environmental studies and undertake consultations with local communities to build new facilities on the Little Mecatina (1,200 MW) and Magpie (850 MW) rivers on the North Shore, and revive the Tabaret project (132 MW) in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region, in western Quebec.

International ventures
Hydro-Québec first forays outside its borders began in 1978. A new subsidiary, Hydro-Québec International, was created to market the company's know-how abroad in the fields of distribution, generation and transmission of electricity. The new venture leveraged the existing pool of expertise in the parent company.

During the next 25 years, Hydro-Québec was particularly active abroad with investments in electricity transmission networks and generation: Transelec in Chile, the Cross Sound Cable in the United States, the Consorcio Transmantaro in Peru, Hidroelectrica Rio Lajas in Costa Rica, Murraylink in Australia and the Fortuna generating station in Panama.

It briefly held a 17% share in SENELEC, Senegal's electric utility, when the Senegalese government decided to sell part of the company to a consortium led by the French company Elyo, a subsidiary of Group Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux, in 1999. The transaction was canceled in 2000 following the election of president Abdoulaye Wade.

Also in 1999, Hydro-Québec International acquired a 20% stake in the Meiya Power Company in China for C$83 million. The company held this participation until July 2004. The company's expertise was sought by several hydroelectric developers throughout the world, including the Three Gorges Dam, where Hydro's employees trained Chinese engineers in the fields of management, finance and dams.

Hydro-Québec gradually withdrew from the international business between 2003 and 2006, and sold off all of its foreign investments for a profit. Proceeds from these sales were paid to the government's Generations Fund, a trust fund set up by the province to alleviate the effect of public debt on future generations.

In 2022, Hydro-Québec, through its US Subsidiary HQI US Holding, acquired Great River Hydro, LLC. for the sum of US$2.2 billion.

Environment

The construction and operation of electric generation, transmission and distribution facilities has environmental effects and Hydro-Québec's activities are no exception. Hydroelectric development affects the natural environment where facilities are built and on the people living in the area. For instance, the development of new reservoirs increases the level of mercury in lakes and rivers, which works up the food chain. It temporarily increases the emission of greenhouse gases from reservoirs and contributes to shoreline erosion.

In addition, hydroelectric facilities transform the human environment. They create new obstacles to navigation, flood traditional hunting and trapping grounds, force people to change their eating habits due to the elevated mercury content of some species of fish, destroy invaluable artifacts that would help trace the human presence on the territory, and disrupt the society and culture of Aboriginal people living near the facilities.

Since the early 1970s, Hydro-Québec has been aware of the environmental externalities of its operations. The adoption of a Quebec statute on environmental quality in 1972, the cancellation of Champigny Project, a planned pumped storage plant in the Jacques-Cartier River valley in 1973, and the James Bay negotiations leading to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement in 1975, forced the company to reconsider its practices.

To address environmental concerns, Hydro-Québec established an environmental protection committee in 1970 and an Environmental Management unit in September 1973. Its mandate is to study and measure the environmental effects of the company, prepare impact assessment, and develop mitigation strategies for new and existing facilities, while conducting research projects in these areas, in cooperation with the scientific community.

Effects on the natural environment

In the late 1970s, the company set up a network of 27 monitoring stations to measure the effects of the James Bay Project which provide a wealth of data on northern environments. The first 30 years of studies in the James Bay area have confirmed that mercury levels in fish increase by 3 to 6 times over the first 5 to 10 years after the flooding of a reservoir, but then gradually revert to their initial values after 20 to 30 years. These results confirm similar studies conducted elsewhere in Canada, the United States and Finland. Research also found that it is possible to reduce human exposure to mercury even when fish constitutes a significant part of a population's diet. Exposure risks can be mitigated without overly reducing the consumption of fish, simply by avoiding certain species and fishing spots.

Despite the fact that the transformation of a terrestrial environment into an aquatic environment constitutes a major change and that flooding leads to the displacement or death of nonmigratory animals, the riparian environments lost through flooding are partially replaced by new ones on the exposed banks of reduced-flow rivers. The biological diversity of reservoir islands is comparable to other islands in the area and the reservoir drawdown zone is used by a variety of wildlife. The population of migratory species of interest such as the caribou have even increased to the point where the hunt has been expanded.

Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) rise significantly for a few years after reservoir impoundment, and then stabilize after 10 years to a level similar to that of surrounding lakes. Gross GHG emissions of reservoirs in the James Bay area fluctuate around 30,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per TWh of generated power. Hydro-Québec claims its hydroelectric plants release 35 times less GHG than comparable gas-fired plants and 70 times less than coal-fired ones and that they constitute the "option with the best performance" overall.

Social effects and sustainable development

Another major environmental concern relates to the population of areas affected by hydroelectric development, specifically the Innu of the North Shore and the Cree and Inuit in Northern Quebec. The hydroelectric developments of the last quarter of the 20th century have accelerated the settling process among Aboriginal populations that started in the 1950s. Among the reasons cited for the increased adoption of a sedentary lifestyle among these peoples are the establishment of Aboriginal businesses, the introduction of paid labor, and the flooding of traditional trapping and fishing lands by the new reservoirs, along with the operation of social and education services run by the communities themselves under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.

Some native communities, particularly the Crees, have come to a point "where they increasingly resemble the industrialized society of the South", notes a Hydro-Québec report summarizing the research conducted in the area between 1970 and 2000. The report adds that a similar phenomenon was observed after the construction of roads and hydroelectric plants near isolated communities in northern Canada and Scandinavia. However, growing social problems and rising unemployment have followed the end of the large construction projects in the 1990s. The report concludes that future economic and social development in the area "will largely depend on the desire for cooperation among the various players".

After the strong rejection of the Suroît project and its subsequent cancellation in November 2004, Hydro-Québec, under the leadership of its new CEO Thierry Vandal, reaffirmed Hydro-Québec's commitment towards energy efficiency, hydropower and development of alternative energy. Since then, Hydro-Québec regularly stresses three criteria for any new hydroelectric development undertaken by the company: projects must be cost effective, environmentally acceptable and well received by the communities. Hydro-Québec has also taken part in a series of sustainable development initiatives since the late 1980s. Its approach is based on three principles: economic development, social development and environmental protection. Since 2007 the company adheres to the Global Reporting Initiative, which governs the collection and publication of sustainability performance information. The company employs 250 professionals and managers in the environmental field and has implemented an ISO 14001-certified environmental management system.

Additionally, the Innu Nation filed a $4 billion claim against Hydro-Québec in October 2020 to receive compensation for damages caused by the Churchill Falls Generating Station.

Quebec market

At the end of 2010, Hydro-Québec served 4,060,195 customers grouped into three broad categories: residential and farm (D Rate), commercial and institutional (G Rate) and industrial (M and L rates). The Other category includes public lighting systems and municipal distribution systems.

About a dozen distribution rates are set annually by the Régie de l'énergie after public hearings. Pricing is based on the cost of delivery, which includes the cost of supply and transmission, depreciation on fixed assets and provisions for the maintenance of facilities, customer growth and a profit margin.

Rates are uniform throughout Quebec and are based on consumer type and volume of consumption. All rates vary in block to mitigate any cross-subsidization effect between residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Hydro-Québec retail rates are among the lowest in North America. After a five-year rate freeze, between May 1, 1998 and January 1, 2004, the Régie granted rate increases on 8 occasions between 2004 and 2010 for a total of 18.4%. More recently, the regulator ordered two successive rate rollbacks in 2011 (0.4%) and 2012 (0.5%). However, rates are expected to go up by 3.7% a year from 2014 to 2018 to reflect a gradual increase of heritage pool electricity announced in the 2010 Quebec budget.

Residential customers

The average consumption of residential and agricultural customers is relatively high, at 16,857 kWh per year in 2011, because of the widespread use of electricity as the main source of space (77%) and water heating (90%). Hydro-Québec estimates that heating accounts for more than one half of the electricity demand in the residential sector.

This preference for electric heating makes electricity demand more unpredictable, but offers some environmental benefits. Despite Quebec's very cold climate in winter, greenhouse gases emissions in the residential sector accounted for only 5.5% (4.65 Mt eq.) of all emissions in Quebec in 2006. Emissions from the residential sector in Quebec fell by 30% between 1990 and 2006.

Residential use of electricity fluctuates from one year to another, and is strongly correlated with the weather. Contrary to the trend in neighboring networks, Hydro-Québec's system is winter-peaking. A new all-time consumption record was set on January 23, 2013 with a load of 38,910 MW. Previous records were established on January 24, 2011 with 37,717 MW, on January 16, 2009, with a load of 37,230 MW, and on January 15, 2004 when peak reached 36,268 MW.

The price of electricity for residences and farms includes a 40.64¢ daily subscription fee, and two price levels depending on consumption. The rates are all-included: power, transmission and distribution costs, but are subject to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the Quebec Sales Tax (QST). As of April 1, 2012, customers pay 5.32¢/kWh for the first 30 daily kWh, while the remainder is sold at 7.51¢/kWh. The average monthly bill for a residential customer was approximately C$100 in 2008.

Electric meter readings are usually conducted every two months and bills are bimonthly. However, the company offers an optional Equalized Payment Plan allowing residential customers to pay their annual electricity costs in 12 monthly installments, based on past consumption patterns of the current customer address and the average temperature in that location.

In 2007, Hydro-Québec pulled out of a Canadian government initiative to install smart meters across the province, stating that it would be "too costly to deliver real savings". Since then, Hydro-Québec organized a 2-year pilot project, involving 2,000 customers in 4 cities, with time of use metering. A report, filed with the Régie de l'énergie, in the summer of 2010 concluded that the effect of marginal cost pricing with three levels of pricing in the winter would lead to minimal load and energy savings. The company intends to gradually phase-in Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) between 2011 and 2017. Early efforts will focus on meter data transfer, connect-disconnect, outage detection and theft reduction.

Industrial customers
For more than a century, industrial development in Quebec has been stimulated by the abundance of hydroelectric resources. Energy represents a significant expenditure in the pulp and paper and aluminum sectors. two industries with long-standing traditions in Quebec. In 2010, industrial customers purchased 68.4 TWh from Hydro-Québec, representing 40.4% of all electricity sold by the company on the domestic market.

The Quebec government uses low electricity rates to attract new business and consolidate existing jobs. Despite its statutory obligation to sell electric power to every person who so requests, the province has reserved the right to grant large load allocations to companies on a case-by-case basis since 1974. The threshold was set at 175 MW from 1987 to 2006 and was reduced to 50 MW in the government's 2006–2015 energy strategy.

Large industrial users pay a lower rate than the domestic and commercial customers, because of lower distribution costs. In 2010, the largest industrial users, the Rate L customers, were paying an average of 4.66¢/kWh whereas companies with special contracts paid 3.07¢/kWh.

In 1987, Hydro-Québec and the Quebec government agreed to a series of controversial deals with aluminum giants Alcan and Alcoa. These risk sharing contracts set the price of electricity based on a series of factors, including aluminum world prices and the value of the Canadian dollar Those agreements are gradually being replaced by one based on published rates.

On May 10, 2007, the Quebec government signed an agreement with Alcan. The agreement, which is still in force despite the company's merger with Rio Tinto Group, renews the water rights concession on the Saguenay and Peribonka rivers. In exchange, Alcan has agreed to invest in its Quebec facilities and to maintain jobs and its corporate headquarters in Montreal.

On December 19, 2008, Hydro-Québec and Alcoa signed a similar agreement. This agreement, which expires in 2040, maintains the provision of electricity to Alcoa's three aluminum smelters in the province, located in Baie-Comeau, Bécancour and Deschambault-Grondines. In addition, the deal will allow Alcoa to modernize the Baie-Comeau plant which will increase its production capacity by 110,000 tonnes a year, to a total of 548,000 tonnes.

Several economists, including Université Laval's Jean-Thomas Bernard and Gérard Bélanger, have challenged the government's strategy and argue that sales to large industrial customers are very costly to the Quebec economy. In an article published in 2008, the researchers estimate that, under the current regime, a job in a new aluminum smelter or an expansion project costs the province between C$255,357 and C$729,653 a year, when taking into consideration the money that could be made by selling the excess electricity on the New York market.

This argument is disputed by large industrial customers, who point out that data from 2000 to 2006 indicate that electricity exports prices get lower when quantities increase, and vice versa. "We find that the more we export, the less lucrative it gets", said Luc Boulanger, the head of the association representing Quebec's large industrial customers. In his opinion, the high volatility of electricity markets and the transmission infrastructure physical limitations reduce the quantities of electricity that can be exported when prices are higher.

Hydro Quebec gained attention with Bitcoin miners in 2018 after the crackdown on mining in China. The province has an energy surplus equivalent to 10 Terawatt hours per year.

Export markets
Hydro-Québec sells part of its surplus electricity to neighbouring systems in Canada and the United States under long-term contracts and transactions on the New England, New York and Ontario bulk energy markets. In 2017, net exports revenues were at $1,651 million for a total of 34.4 TWh sent to New England (53%), New York (23%), Ontario (13%) and other (5%).

Although most export sales are now short-term transactions, Hydro-Québec has entered into long-term export contracts in the past. The corporation has 15 interconnections to neighboring markets. In 1990, the company signed a 328-MW deal with a group of 13 electric distributors in Vermont. On March 11, 2010, Vermont's two largest utilities, Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public Service, entered into a tentative 26-year deal with Hydro-Québec to purchase up to 225 MW of hydro power from 2012 to 2038. The memorandum of understanding provides for a price smoothing mechanism shielding Vermont customers from market price spikes. The deal is contingent upon the enactment designating large hydro as "renewable energy".

In 2015, Hydro-Quebec and the Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) signed a 500-MW seasonal capacity sharing agreement. Ontario has increased capacity in the Winter, and shortages in the summer. Quebec has increased capacity in the summer, and shortages in the Winter. Thus, the agreement serves as to achieve an cost-effective solution for both provinces. Furthermore, in 2016 (IESO) and Hydro-Quebec signed a new long-term agreement starting in 2017 until 2023. The deal will send 2TWh per year to Ontario. On the other hand, Quebec should receive capacity from Ontario during Winter's peak demand.

Presidents
From 1944 to 1978, management of Hydro-Québec consisted of five commissioners, one of them acting as president.

title: Hydro-Québec


text:
Agy

Agy is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region of north-western France.

Geography
Agy is located 4 km south-west of Bayeux and 7 km north-east of Balleroy. The D572 highway from Bayeux to Saint-Lô passes through the eastern edges of the commune. The rest of the commune can be reached on the D207 from Campigny in the north-west passing through the village then continuing south-east to join the D572A which is parallel to the D572. Apart from the village there are three hamlets: La Commune, Les Malcadets, and Aprigny all along the D207 road. The rest of the commune is entirely farmland.

The north-east border of the commune is marked by the Drone river with the southern border marked by the Ponche. In the west is the Vicalet stream flowing north and partly forming the western border.

Toponymy
The town's name is attested in its Latin form Ageyum as early as the 9th century. It seems to be based on the Latin surname Agius, followed by the Gaulish suffix -acum. If this theory is correct it follows that Agy was once the lands of a man called Agius.

History
In 1834 the parish of Agy was attached to Subles and the Agy church was put on sale for demolition. On 25 August 1834, however, residents opposed the bailiffs who came to take possession of the premises with the buyers. Faced with resistance, Alexandre Douesnel-Dubosq - public prosecutor, was summoned by the police but, armed with clubs, the population continued to oppose the destruction of the church and the cemetery. In the afternoon the National Guard of Bayeux arrived to reinforce the police with three hundred men and this ended the riot. Three protesters were sentenced by the Correctional Tribunal of Bayeux. The demolition of the church took place over the following days. The people of Subles celebrated this event which created rivalry between the two towns. A resident of Subles set up the cock from the steeple of the Agy church on his house. The people of Agy then joined the French Catholic Church of Father Châtel and launched a subscription that led to the construction of a new church and the installation of a priest who was a disciple of Father Chatel. In this way, the people had their revenge.

Administration
List of Successive Mayors of Agy

Sites and monuments

 * A Castle from the 18th century and a stately mansion from the 16th century has belonged to the same family since 1805 and has been transmitted for several generations of women (Dragon de Gomiécourt / Isoard de Chénerilles / the Poëze of Harambure. A tribute to this family is on the windows of the church of the commune
 * The Church of Saint-Vigor, built in the 19th century.
 * The Villa of Agy (19th century). Balzac, during his stay in Bayeux, visited the owner, Mrs Hautefeuille who he described as "as full of spirit as the most spiritual Parisian woman".

title: Agy