Several researchers pleaded Thursday for the holding of a real and broad public debate on the energy future of the province, at a time when the decarbonization of the economy serves as a pretext for an energy-intensive reindustrialization likely to change the face of our territory and Hydro-Québec.
During a conference on the subject of the state company organized by the Institute for Research in Contemporary Economy (IRÉC) on our energy future Thursday in Montreal, the increase in wind projects carried out by the private sector, the construction of future hydroelectric dams and granting of electricity blocks to industrial companies. What is the merit of battery or hydrogen sector projects like TES Canada, which have obtained access to the Hydro-Québec network, in terms of GHG reduction? We don’t know, said the researchers present at the discussion panels.
“It’s as if the government is putting the cart before the horse,” commented Johanne Whitmore, principal researcher at the Chair of Energy Sector Management at HEC Montréal. How will the TES project from Northvolt help us reduce GHG emissions? […] We are not able to measure it, because when I ask the firm for data, they tell me that these are private projects and that we do not need to know that. In this case, don’t come and tell me that this is a project that will help us decarbonize. Say that it’s a project that will have economic benefits and that’s it. »
“If it is a project that fits into our desire to achieve our objectives, it must be demonstrated quantitatively. This is what is sorely missing from the government’s entire approach,” she continued.
Mme Whitmore calls for more transparency and the establishment of an integrated energy resources plan, in particular in order to obtain public support for the selected projects.
“Just as we allowed ourselves to be fooled by the idea of renewable energy to set up the wind industry in Quebec, we are in the process of being fooled by the energy transition to set up a new self-project “re-industrialization of Quebec”, judged Marie-Claude Prémont, professor at the National School of Public Administration. The latter believes that “we must stop being naive”.
Shift towards the private sector
Furthermore, Hydro-Québec is depriving itself of profit margins ranging from 1.79 to 3.34 billion dollars by 2035 by entrusting wind projects to private companies through contracts, estimated IRÉC researcher Noël Fagoaga. The latter recently published a report entitled The privatization of wind energy and the impact on Hydro-Québec’s mission. The state-owned company must, however, incur costs for acquiring and integrating this electricity. Mr. Fagoaga also deplored the fact that “land planning is being delegated to private actors”.
The Minister of Economy and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, has already stated in the past that wind power should continue to be entrusted to the private sector, claiming that the promoters have more experience than Hydro -Quebec. Remember that the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents approximately 16,000 Hydro-Québec employees, has already expressed concern that more and more electricity production will come from the private sector.
According to analyst Jean-François Blain, the scale of the changes to come at Hydro-Québec, in particular the expansion of private production, justifies a “real public debate” on energy, which would not have taken place since the early 1990s. “I was unfortunately part of Mr. Fitzgibbon’s bogus consultation day and I would say that the wording and direction of the questions was at the level of a purposive survey, when you provide questions that do not can only lead to the expected response,” said Mr. Blain.
The limited framework of a parliamentary committee would not be sufficient, he believes. He believes that this debate could instead be supervised by the Office of Public Hearings on the Environment. The Régie de l’énergie could also fulfill this mandate, indicated Mr.me Whitmore.