Eastern Quebec targeted for a wind energy call for tenders

Hydro-Québec says it wants to implement its new strategy to ensure the development of Quebec's full wind potential. (File photo)

Hydro-Québec is preparing to launch a new call for tenders to commission 1,500 megawatts of wind energy by 2029. D ollowing the map presented by Hydro-Québec, two sectors of Eastern Quebec are targeted for the development of future projects.

The Rivière-du-Loup sector is one of the areas targeted for wind development, with a potential of 400 megawatts. On the North Shore, the Outardes sector, in the Baie-Comeau region, was also chosen by the state-owned company. The sector would have a potential of 300 megawatts.

“Of course it is surprising, but at the same time, it sure is music to our ears.”

— Michel Lagacé, President of the Eastern Energy Alliance

So elected officials say there is no more room on power grid in Rivière-du-Loup for several years, the president of the Eastern Energy Alliance, Michel Lagacé, admits to being surprised by this announcement.

Michel Lagacé is also the prefect of the MRC de Rivière-du-Loup (archive photo)

We know that there is untapped wind potential. It's true in Bas-Saint-Laurent, it's true in Gaspésie… And social acceptability is also with us, so we have to see how Hydro-Québec can bring, there, a increased transmission line capacity, he argues.

On Wednesday, Hydro-Québec announced the winners of the calls for tenders for 300 megawatts (MW) of wind energy and 480 MW of renewable energy launched in 2021. In total, five of the seven projects selected will see the light of day in Eastern Quebec.

Wind turbines at the Mesgi wind farm 'g Ugju's'n, in Gaspésie (archive photo)

Michel Lagacé indicates, however, that the Alliance will continue its efforts to have Quebec increase the supply capacity of the network in Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie by making the necessary representations.

Given that the project wants to commission 1,500 megawatts of wind power, several sectors will have to be selected by the Crown corporation in order to reach the target. A total of 10 potential areas have been identified by Hydro-Québec.

Sites with potential for integration into the Hydro-Québec grid

Source: Hydro-Québec

On the North Shore, the prefect of the MRC de Manicouagan, Marcel Furlong, thinks that the addition wind energy project in the region could also potentially attract new investors.

The rest of us are very happy about that. (…) It is now a question of finding the promoter who will want to develop the wind farm and invest in it. Even if this is not done, the prefect sees with a good eye that the region has been targeted by Hydro-Québec.

For Marcel Furlong, such projects also require increased collaboration between the parties possibly involved, in particular the Aboriginal communities present on the territory. Same speech on the side of Michel Lagacé, who underlines the importance of the social acceptability of such projects.

Marcel Furlong, prefect of the MRC de Manicouagan (archive photo)

Among his criteria, Hydro-Québec says it is focusing its choice on areas that will allow technically possible commissioning in 2027, 2028 and 2029.

These new projects will see the light of day in areas where it will be possible to connect them quickly to the network and at reasonable costs.

Earlier this week, preparatory work for the Apuiat wind project began, a few dozen kilometers from the city of Port-Cartier.

With information from Patrick Bergeron and Charles-Étienne Drouin

Also read

• Quebec announces a new call for tenders for 1500 MW of wind energy

• Quebec wants to quadruple the provincial wind capacity by 2040