Hydro-Quebec, embarrassed by visits by TV journalists that exposed their inept security, is spending millions of dollars to beef up their perimeter security around large generating stations.

The program should become public around mid-March.

Hydro officials were caught with their pants down when a Radio-Canada reporter went inside Manic 5 and La Grande in northern Quebec and was able to access unlocked and unmanned “restricted” areas of the dams. Premier Jean Charest called on Hydro President Andre Caille to fix things and fast.

A couple of days later a TVA camera crew waltzed in undetected and Hydro was again left red-faced. Now the public utility is not taking any chances and has added 150 security guards along with cameras and motion detectors.