Canada had 126 gigawatts of installed electricity generating capacity in 2007. The country produced 595 billion kilowatt hours (Bkwh) of electric power in 2007 while consuming 530 Bkwh. Hydroelectricity represents the largest share of Canada’s electricity generation, followed by conventional thermal and nuclear.

The electricity networks of Canada and the United States are highly integrated. In 2007, Canada exported 50.1 Bkwh of electricity to the United States while importing 19.6 Bkwh. Over the past ten years, Canadian imports of electricity from the U.S. have increased by over 150 percent, while exports have remained relatively constant. Due to the increasing interdependence of the networks in both countries, a dependency made clear during the 2003 Northeast blackout, there have been greater efforts to increase cooperation and coordination between Canada and the U.S. A bilateral commission is planning the formation of the North American Electric Reliability Organization, an intergovernmental organization that would monitor network reliability, settle trans-border disputes, and formulate common industry standards.

Canada is one of the world’s largest producers of hydroelectricity, generating 370 Bkwh from the source in 2008. Canada was once the world’s largest hydroelectricity producer, but China has overtaken that position in the last few years. Quebec’s La Grande plant is one of the world’s largest hydroelectric facilities, with an installed capacity of 15,000 MW. Quebec has the largest share of Canada’s hydroelectric production, followed by British Columbia.