$560 million to produce an additional 90 MW at the Outardes 2 generating station

Overview of the Outardes 2 power plant.

The Outardes 2 plant, which is part of the large Manic-Outardes complex, will see three of its turbine-generator units replaced with new technologies. This will generate an additional 90 Megawatts of energy.

Operational since 1978, the Outardes 2 power station is one of four power stations for which Hydro-Québec injects 2.4 billion dollars in repairs.

Carillon, in Outaouais, Rapide-Blanc and Trenche, in Mauricie are the three other power stations to be part of this project.

Manic-5 generating station, Manic-5-PA generating station and Daniel-Johnson dam are part of the vast Manic aux Outardes complex. (File photo)

For the Outardes 2 power plant, the project cost of replacing the turbine-generator units is approximately $560 million, according to the relations advisor with the environment at Hydro-Québec, Cathy Hamel.

A turbine-generator unit acts as the engine of a power plant. It is divided into two parts: the turbine, which transforms hydraulic energy into mechanical energy, and the alternator, which transforms mechanical energy into electrical energy.

The power plant, which currently produces 523 Megawatts, will achieve a considerable gain in power generation. The additional 90 MW at Outardes 2 will power 36,000 more homes, says Cathy Hamel.

“You get to a point where you have to change the engines, and the engines are a lot better than they were fifty years ago. So we are able to increase the power of this plant to produce more electricity. »

— Cathy Hamel, community relations advisor at Hydro-Québec

Cathy Hamel, community relations advisor at Hydro-Québec. (File photo)

The preparatory work started in 2022 and all the work will be completed in 2027, continues Cathy Hamel.

Until 2024, in the preparatory work, we will, for example, replace the door of the power plant, set up temporary site facilities, modify the entrance to the power plant. And from 2025, we will really proceed with the repairs of the turbine-alternator groups, she says.

A turbine at a generating station in the La Romaine complex, in Minganie. (File photo)

A turbine-alternator group will be replaced each year until 2027, for a total of three groups.

“The investment report is interesting because it concerns already existing installations. We take advantage of a need that was there, of a sustainability project, to increase the power. »

— Cathy Hamel, Community Relations Advisor at Hydro-Québec

Cathy Hamel's interview on the repair work at Outardes 2, at the #x27;mission Boréale 138

Hydro-Québec is currently carrying out other technical and environmental studies to see the viability of an upcoming project on the North Shore, says the community relations advisor.

For example, the René-Lévesque generating station, formerly known as Manic-3, was commissioned in 1975 and will eventually require improvement works.

In this plant, six turbine-generator groups are in operation. Their repair would require much larger investments, recognizes Cathy Hamel.