IT - Hydro-Quebec Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

IT - Hydro-Quebec - Essay Example The changing climate has affected the hydro electric utilities to a great extent. It should be noted in this context that the hydro power generation tends to be more vulnerable to the changes in terms of climatic conditions than other sources including the thermal power station. For instance, hydro power project located near the sea-coast have often been noticed to be affected by the rise in the sea level. Again, dry weather conditions and reduced water level in the reservoirs have also affected its electricity production. Numbers of other climatic factors such as lightning, rise in temperature, icing and pollution have been the major uncontrollable threats faced by Hydro-Quebec. Furthermore, the organization has been unable to take the advantage of wind power as one of the best options of renewable energy (Hydro-Quebec, 2008). During 1990s, technology and business units’ efforts to control return on the invested capital for IT management has brought major changes in the way o f Hydro-Quebec. The SSC was held responsible for the IT related decisions. However, it was observed that it initiated changes only in terms of human resources due to departmental expansion taking place within the company. Those changes made by the SSC caused distortion both within the business units and within the IT divisions. Furthermore, the SSC was responsible for developing and implementing all the technological aspects of the given solution, optimizing technological performance and maintaining as well as executing the developed solutions. However, creating new challenges for the SSC as the IT division had to negotiate all of the technology budgets with each division separately following a more complex process. Consequentially, it was observed that Hydro-Quebec Distribution (HQD) spent more than $50 million on over 200 IT systems. However, it had no clear strategy or proper system plan that could be formally drawn up after its establishment. Many factors force the division to i nclude the IT related issues under its caption, such as the technological zeitgeist during the 1990s. Owing to such circumstances; there has been an urgent requirement to update the company’s legacy system as it was observed that the old system was more vulnerable to risk along with a high maintenance cost. Furthermore, there was a need to update its entire infrastructure related to mailing and printing of bills. The factors like managing the addresses of its customers were also identified as impossible to be maintained with the traditional system. Thus, there was an urgent need to modernize customer software application (Hydro-Quebec, 2008). Question 2: What changes would you suggest for Hydro-Quebec and why? Hydro-Quebec should concentrate more on developing its research programs in order to boast its human resource knowledge in terms of climate change and technological adaption. Hydro-Quebec must identify the areas that are sensitive towards climatic changes and other unco ntrollable risks. Its activities also must be directed towards managing water resources, transports, distributions, equipment designs, and annual production volumes along with environmental and financial considerations. It should also contribute for the development of wind power and increase in the supply from the existing power generating stations (Dube, Berner & Roy, 2007). Furthermore, the organization should promote recycling processes along with educating employees in terms of