Hydro-Québec opens the door to private solar energy production to meet electricity demand.
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In an effort to diversify energy sources, the state-owned company plans to add private solar power plants to its arsenal.
“We are proposing the development of 300 megawatts from solar energy. Hydro-Québec will launch a call for tenders by the end of the year,” explains the new Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Energy Christine Fréchette.
Solar power is interesting for Hydro-Québec because it offers more flexibility and is less expensive.
“It takes a year to a year and a half to develop a solar energy project,” says the minister. When you get into wind power, it’s about four years on average. And when we go to dams, it’s 10 to 15 years. So, there is really a saving in terms of time by choosing solar.”
Screenshot/TVA News
This source of energy is also interesting, according to the minister, because it “is not necessarily efficient at the same time as wind power is”.
Quebec would like citizens to get involved in the production of solar energy.
“It is certain that for us, this is a first step, this 300 megawatts from solar. We want to go further. We would like Quebecers to also engage in the self-production of solar energy. You know, it’s the most accessible thing for ordinary people and mortals. There are not many people who can install a wind turbine in their yard.”
Hydroelectricity, still Hydro’s spearhead
Meanwhile, the Carillon power station is undergoing a $750 million facelift to increase its production capacity.
It will take 14 years to upgrade this plant.
Work is also underway at two other power stations in the province. In total, Quebec plans to renovate seven hydroelectric power stations.
“Adding, essentially, the equivalent of a huge power station is 2000 megawatts in new production capacity that we can obtain simply by using more modern turbine-alternator groups,” maintains Lynn St-Laurent, senior advisor at Hydro-Québec.
Upgrades and adding more plants will require investments ranging from $35 billion to $45 billion.
“We can go and capture some of the increase in energy with that, but it won’t be enough. We will also have to increase production, and in doing so, we also want to diversify it and reduce our consumption,” declared Minister Fréchette.
In a year and a half, Quebec will develop its integrated energy resources management plan, the road map of needs for the next 25 years.
“This is where we will see, in fact, how many dams, what scale for wind energy, what scale for solar energy and other forms,” said the minister.
These needs will be reassessed every 6 years.
– According to information from Alain Laforest
