Hilo will provide a range of products, including smart-home devices and solar panels, first to the utility’s 3.5 million residential customers, then to business customers. Sébastien Fournier, who has held a number of senior roles at telecommunications firms, will be Hilo’s CEO. (The Logic)

Talking point: This move lets Hydro-Québec accomplish several goals simultaneously. It aims to reduce electricity consumption—which is good for the environment—but does so in a way that provides a new revenue stream for the utility. Reduced domestic consumption also opens up export opportunities for Quebec. In 2018, the province exported a record 36.1 terawatt-hours of electricity. New York City is hoping to buy more electricity from the province. The reduced consumption could also free up opportunities for the booming cryptocurrency-mining sector in the province, which has clashed with the province over how much electricity it needs.