Quebecers must prepare to see electric dam projects multiply with Michael Sabia at the head of Hydro-Québec, François Legault warned on Friday.
“We haven’t done a lot of major work at Hydro-Québec in the last 25 years,” said the Prime Minister. “But, get ready. Michael [Sabia] works very, very hard. There will be a lot of announcements for dams, upgrade dams, wind power.”
Clean electricity production capacity “is a big advantage that we have to make the economic catch-up that we need to do,” he said. Mr. Legault said it was necessary to convince large automobile companies to buy truly “green” batteries, aluminum and steel, produced with Quebec hydroelectricity.
Mr. Legault was speaking as part of the inauguration of the HEC Montréal Building, a new pavilion located downtown for the university institution. The premises will be dedicated to continuing training for executives who have already started their careers. Open since the end of August, the building already accommodates 3,200 students and 225 employees.
After the event, at a press briefing, the Prime Minister stated that Hydro-Québec was “looking at a certain number of new dams”. The Crown corporation is also looking to increase the production capacity of the Churchill Falls power station in Labrador, as well as some of its own facilities, he added. Wind power is also part of the plans.
“You have to choose the best projects,” he said. We have a lot of projects on the table. It’s going to take a lot of electricity and the projects that will be chosen will be those that bring the most value to the economy, to Quebecers, to those who want paying jobs. And which make it possible to decarbonize Quebec as much as possible. »
François Legault stressed that many of these projects will have to be the subject of negotiation with the First Nations.