Robert W. GehlMar 21

Canadiana question: is "hydro" a blanket term for "electricity"?

I just read a Globe and Mail story that referred to windmills -- the things that are spun by the wind -- as "hydro windmills."

I can imagine how all this started but I gotta say it's really confusing seeing a term that literally means "water" being used for things that are not water. Would a Canadian say "hydro coal"?

#Canada #askACanadian

Show threadWilliam DentonMar 21
@rwg In Ontario that's how it's used, in my experience. When everything came through Ontario Hydro it was always "the Hydro" providing "hydro." You might now ask someone with a remote cabin if they're "on the hydro" or using solar panels.
Show threadRobert W. GehlMar 21
@wdenton And I presume that if they were using solar, they would not say "we have solar hydro"?
Show threadWilliam DentonMar 21
@rwg No, that's weird!
Show threadWilliam DentonMar 21
@rwg But if they offer some "BC hydro" then they're talking about something different, if you know what I mean.
Show threadRobert W. Gehl
@wdenton heh!
Mar 21 at 4:29pmWeb