Hydro-Québec and the Crees are in discussion to increase hydroelectric production in the north of the province, was able to confirm The duty. The possibility of producing more power by renovating existing facilities — including the Robert-Bourassa generating station, which is not operating at full capacity — is at the heart of this dialogue, which could reshape the James Bay Agreement.
“The time has come to assess the effectiveness of the dams on our territory,” said Mandy Gull-Masty, the head of the Grand Council of the Crees of Quebec, in an interview.
Discussions with Hydro-Quebec accelerated six months ago, when the premier said he was “seriously considering the construction of new dams” to meet growing energy demand. These exchanges, prior to formal negotiations, mainly deal with the “upgrading” of aging hydroelectric power stations and the repercussions of this work on the territory. This may include, for example, replacing turbine-generator sets with units that generate more power. The Crees are also asking about potential upgrades that would affect the flow of rivers and the height of reservoirs.
Since her election in July 2021, Chief Gull-Masty has met twice with Sophie Brochu, CEO of Hydro-Québec. The two women talked about the La Grande complex, which produces half of the province’s electricity and whose capacity is governed by the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.
In recent months, the chiefs of the Cree Nation also meet on their side to establish their positions. “What is the impact on the territory? Then what will be the new reality for people on earth, who go hunting, who go fishing? This is our big concern, “explains M.me Gull-Masty.
When Prime Minister François Legault expressed his wish to build a new large hydroelectric power station last September, the Crees suffered “a shock”, says the chief. “Suddenly, everyone was wondering: where is it going to be? What is happening ? We were very surprised, because it was not in our discussions with the government,” she said.
The Great Whale River, which flows among the Crees and the Inuit, was the subject of very concrete hydroelectric development plans at the end of the 1980s. The planned capacity, immense, exceeded 3200 megawatts (MW). The project, however, aroused strong opposition from the Crees, who feared the destruction of their territory, and it was canceled in 1994 by Jacques Parizeau.
Hydro-Québec confirms discussions
“Discussions relating to the work for the sustainability of the La Grande complex have been initiated with our Cree partners, confirmed Hydro-Québec by email. Out of respect for these discussions, we prefer to limit our public comments on this subject. »
The fact remains that these discussions are urgent for the government corporation, which has already replaced half of the 16 turbine-generator sets at the Robert-Bourassa (La Grande-2) generating station because they were coming to the end of of useful life. However, the capacity of these modern units exceeds the specifications set out in the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.
In other words, Hydro-Québec could already produce more power with the current equipment. The state corporation, however, did not want to detail the gap from the full potential of the Robert-Bourassa plant. “We operate the La Grande complex in accordance with the terms set out in the James Bay Agreement,” she says.
According to what Hydro-Québec has already said, each new turbine-generator unit at the Robert-Bourassa power station can generate 371 MW. Once the 16 turbines have been changed, the plant could therefore produce 5936 MW, whereas the Agreement provides for a total capacity of 5328 MW for this plant. More than 600 MW are thus at stake, the equivalent of a fleet of 120 wind turbines.
The replacement schedule for the last eight turbine-alternator groups at the Robert-Bourassa power station has not yet been established, says Hydro-Québec. This subject will be addressed in discussions with the Cree Nation.
Produce 5% more with power plants
Hydro-Québec must produce more electricity to meet growing demand in the coming years. Between 2019 and 2029, electricity demand in Quebec is expected to increase by 20 terawatt hours (+12%), according to Hydro-Québec’s most recent strategic plan. Quebec production will not be able to meet peak demand from 2027.
In this context, the state-owned company estimates that it will be able to increase the power of its sixty existing 2,000 MW power stations in the coming years through refurbishment work. This represents 5% of their current capacity, which is around 37,000 MW. Robert-Bourassa generating station was the first in the La Grande complex to be commissioned, in 1979.
The duty recently reported that the bill for the repair of the turbine-generator units of four generating stations — Carillon, in Outaouais, Rapide-Blanc and Trenche, in Mauricie, as well as Outardes-2, on the North Shore — would amount to 2, $4 billion. These projects will add 178 MW to a current capacity of 1789 MW.
The CEO of Hydro-Québec, Sophie Brochu, will step down on April 11. We do not yet know who will replace her. Chef Gull-Masty, who has only good words for Mme Brochu, hopes that his successor will also be attentive to the demands of the First Nations. “I want us to talk about it, to sit down together,” she says.