The fate of several prime ministers is intimately linked to the construction of large hydroelectric projects. Structures have even inherited the names of some of them to highlight their contribution to the construction of Hydro-Québec.
The Manic-5 dam took over from Daniel Johnson in 1969. A year earlier, he had died on the spot when he was to inaugurate the installation. Same thing for LG-2, renamed central Robert-Bourassa after the death of the former Liberal prime minister in 1996.
Visiting the installation eight years later, Jean Charest then measured the magnitude of the work, the construction of which was launched by his predecessor. “I dare to think that one day I could make a gesture that would leave such an important legacy, but that would not be fair in the field of energy,” he confided.
Five years later, the Liberal Party of Quebec inducted Mr. Charest into its pantheon of “great builders”, alongside Godbout, Lesage and Bourassa. The Liberals particularly wanted to highlight his decision to build the La Romaine hydroelectric complex on the North Shore.
James Bay of the 21st century
In 2016, François Legault, then in opposition, promised nothing less than a “James Bay of the 21ste century”, in reference to Robert Bourassa’s major project. He wants to “explode” Quebec hydroelectricity exports to Canada and the Northeastern United States.
It will be necessary to wait until last September for Mr. Legault to give a clear signal. In the campaign for his re-election, he promises to ask Hydro-Quebec to examine “the possibility of building new dams”.
Its objective: eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 and eliminate the wealth gap between Quebec and Ontario.
To achieve this environmental objective, but also to meet the demands of companies willing to settle in Quebec in exchange for low energy rates, Mr. Legault says that 100 TWh must be added to Hydro-Quebec’s electrical capacity. , which is currently 200 TWh.
Mr. Legault also announced 3000 MW of wind energy, which would almost double the capacity of Hydro-Québec in this sector.
After the October election, the Prime Minister made a significant gesture by moving the Energy portfolio, traditionally entrusted to the Minister of Natural Resources, to that of the Economy, held by Pierre Fitzgibbon.
Mr. Legault has also placed himself at the center of arbitrations between economic development and energy transition. He will chair a committee that will include the president and CEO of Hydro-Québec, Sophie Brochu, Mr. Fitzgibbon and three other ministers.
The first meeting should take place by the end of the year. But already, even before announcing that Mr. Fitzgibbon would inherit the Energy, Mr.me Brochu had warned the government against the temptation to want to transform the state-owned company into a “dollar store” for electricity.
Wind power, “incredible source”
During one of his first outings as Minister of Energy last Wednesday, Mr. Fitzgibbon pointed out that he was taking office in a context in which, after years of surpluses, Hydro-Québec will have to, from 2027, increase its production to meet demand.
In a speech to representatives of the mining and energy sectors in Quebec City, Mr. Fitzgibbon explained that the projects will be studied through “two prisms”: their contribution to reducing the wealth gap with the Ontario and the fight against climate change.
“We have to choose wisely the projects that will receive the precious megawatts in the next five years,” he said. We must choose priority projects for our economy and for the decarbonization of Quebec. »
Projects will get megawatts based on the number of jobs created, their tax benefits, their effect on economic growth, their innovative nature and, “very importantly”, the reduction in greenhouse gases, listed , in order, Mr. Fitzgibbon.
During his speech, the Minister only mentioned the word “dam” once. “We can do better with our existing dams,” he said. Turbines need a little love. We can do better with what we have in place. »
Mr. Fitzgibbon, on the other hand, insisted on the advantages of wind and solar energy, which can be produced more quickly on Quebec territory. “Wind is going to be an incredible source,” he said. We look at the geographical plan of Quebec, insofar as we are going to have transmission that will be done, we can put in several thousand additional megawatts. »
Dams, a dream
Professor of physics at the University of Montreal and scientific director of the Trottier Energy Institute at Polytechnique Montreal, Normand Mousseau believes that Mr. Legault will come up against several obstacles with new dams. “I think he’s selling dreams,” he said in an interview.
The government will have great difficulty flooding the territory to create the reservoirs necessary for the dams, believes the researcher. The remoteness of the areas where such structures could emerge will increase the already high construction costs. All this militates more in favor of wind power, judge Mr. Mousseau.
He deplores the fact that the government set up its committee without a more specific energy transition plan. The challenge, he says, is not to attract new electricity-consuming projects. “It’s putting the cart before the horse,” he said. We are committed to reducing GHG emissions. »
We will realize that there are better options and that the obstacles to the construction of dams are too big.
Holder of the Chair of Energy Sector Management at HEC Montreal, Pierre-Olivier Pineau does not believe that Mr. Legault’s dam projects will be realized.
“We will realize that there are better options and that the obstacles to building dams are too big,” he said.
According to Mr. Pineau, Mr. Legault improvised his announcement on the roadblocks. “The great builders had a vision they could defend. Not him,” he says.
At most, a partnership would be possible with Newfoundland and Labrador to develop the Gull Island hydroelectric plant.
Wind power has more development potential than hydroelectricity, believes Mr. Pineau. He estimates that it would take about $100 billion to build and connect wind turbines that would add 100 TWh to Hydro-Quebec, as Mr. Legault wants.
He deplores the “Frankenstein governance” of the committee chaired by Mr. Legault, which brings together ministers and a head of a state-owned company.
“It’s a committee that was improvised in the panic so as not to alienate Sophie Brochu,” said Mr. Pineau. This is a very strange patent. »