Québec municipalities are encouraged to get ready for the arrival of electric vehiclesThe Union des municipalités du Québec supports development of The Electric Circuit

The Founding partners of The Electric Circuit and Hydro-Québec are happy to announce the signing of an agreement letter with the Union des municipalités du Québec(UMQ), whereby the UMQ will handle communications and offer front-line services to the more than 300 members with regard to the development and roll-out of The Electric Circuit.

“We have already announced the locations of a number of charging stations in the greater Montréal and Québec areas, and this new partnership will enable us to plan the infrastructure so as to meet our customers’ needs throughout Québec," said Pierre-Luc Desgagné, Senior Director, Strategic Planning at Hydro-Québec, on behalf of the founding partners of The Electric Circuit.

"The UMQ is proud to be associated with this project. We invite municipalities that are interested in implementing public charging stations to join The Electric Circuit. Our citizens will be able to take advantage of the province-wide deployment currently undertaken by Hydro-Québec and its partners. Our annual meeting in May will be the perfect occasion for delegates to learn more about this new infrastructure," said Éric Forest, President of the Union des municipalités du Québec and Mayor of Rimouski.

Municipalities that choose to participate in The Electric Circuit will be able to take advantage of Hydro-Québec’s expertise, as well as tools developed by the founding partners – Les Rôtisseries St-Hubert, RONA, METRO and the Agence métropolitaine de transport. For example, users of The Electric Circuit’s charging stations will have access to a 24-hour telephone help line operated and managed by CAA-Québec. The Electric Circuit Web site, www.theelectriccircuit.com, will also feature a charging station location service sponsored by Hydro-Québec.

Under this agreement, municipalities interested in installing public charging stations on their territory and in learning more about the advantages of The Electric Circuit can now express their interests and particular needs with regard to vehicle charging.

The Electric Circuit

Powered with clean renewable energy, The Electric Circuit’s first 90 240-V charging stations will be available to the public in March, 2012. An additional 30 charging stations will be added by summer, bringing the total to 120. Electric vehicle users will be able to drive worry-free, knowing that a public network of charging stations is available.

Given that the vast majority of recharging needs will be met at home and at work, this public charging network will play an important role in meeting drivers’ backup or emergency needs.

The Electric Circuit is Québec and Canada’s first public charging network for plug-in electric vehicles. This initiative marks a major step in the deployment of the charging infrastructure required to support the arrival of plug-in electric vehicles in Québec and is in line with the
2011-2020 Action Plan for Electric Vehicles announced by the Québec government.

About the Union des municipalités du Québec

Since its founding in 1919, the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) has represented municipalities of every size and in every region of Québec. The UMQ mission is to promote the fundamental role of municipalities in social and economic progress in every part of Québec and to support its members in building dynamic, innovative and competitive communities. The UMQ affinity caucus structure, comprising local communities, regional county municipalities, census agglomerations, large cities and metropolitan communities reflects the diversity and unity of municipal life in Québec. UMQ members represent the voice of nearly 5 million Québec citizens, occupying 80% of Québec’s territory.

About Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec generates, transmits and distributes electricity. Its sole shareholder is the Québec government. It uses mainly renewable generating options, in particular hydropower, and supports the development of wind energy through purchases from independent power producers. It also conducts research in energy-related fields such as energy efficiency. For more information on Hydro-Québec, please visit www.hydroquebec.com. To learn more about Hydro-Québec’s transportation electrification projects, go to www.hydroquebec.com/transportation-electrification.