(Montreal) Protecting Quebecers during severe cold weather eliminates all other considerations when the time comes to buy electricity on outside markets to meet demand.
Passing through Montreal on Monday, the Minister of Economy and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, dismissed out of hand any criticisms to the effect that the electricity purchased on external markets could come from sources non-renewable or too expensive.
During the short cold spell, Hydro-Québec smashed the old record of 40,500 megawatts, set in January 2022, with demand approaching 43,000 megawatts this time.
“It is clear that peak management is an important part of managing the energy transition,” argued the minister, who has already spoken on this subject since he was entrusted with the portfolio. Energy.
“There are people who will argue that we imported fossil energy or whatever the source of energy, but we are talking about a two-day peak,” he first argued. . He later added that Hydro-Quebec “had to import at a really high price, but good. We had to protect Quebeckers too. »
More flexibility for Hydro
Pierre Fitzgibbon plans to review the way Hydro-Québec operates, but for now, he is working on Bill 2, which aims to limit electricity rate increases to 3%.
“You have to do this now, otherwise it’s going to be 6% (due to the automatic inflation adjustment). So I hope the opposition will work with us on that. This is my main focus. »
Thereafter, he must begin consultations, but has still not determined the formula or even the timetable, although he still plans to introduce a bill before the end of 2023.
“We are looking with Hydro-Quebec at how to lighten things up, make Hydro-Quebec more flexible. It is their request and it is the bill that we will table somewhere at the end of 2023, but there is no date.
“To achieve this, you have to make up your mind in government, you have to listen to civil society, you have to listen to people. The form of the audience – web, meeting – we are finalizing that. We have plenty of time, we will do things in order, ”he said.
When asked if he plans to hear from the resigning President and CEO, Sophie Brochu, as part of his consultations, the Minister replies with a smile: “Absolutely. We already listen to it a lot. »
Connecting an electric car to the Plateau?
Minister Fitzgibbon also acknowledges that one of the major challenges of the energy transition will be to offer charging possibilities in urban areas where residents have no choice but to park on the street.
He has also come up against this reality himself, he confided in an interview with The Canadian Press.
“I looked myself to buy in the Plateau [Mont-Royal] a year ago and that was one of the considerations. I looked where I wanted to buy, where the terminals were. I don’t have a garage where there were terminals and I thought it was going to be complex, there’s no doubt. »
On the strength of this experience, he recognizes that the number of terminals will have to be increased “substantially”. He notes that Quebec has some 150,000 electric vehicles, which is far from the objectives of his government.
“We are aiming for 1.6 million by 2030. We have time, but clearly we have to invest in infrastructure.
“There is a whole management of terminals that must be reviewed now. The question is relevant. »