The population has been heard, assures Éric Gauthier, general director of TES Canada. The manager met the regional press Tuesday morning for a technical briefing on the progress of the project. The session seemed like a response to the company’s detractors, while various criticisms recently formulated in the public space were addressed head on.
TES Canada intends in particular to promote “energy losses” repeatedly criticized by various experts.
We also learn that the number of wind turbines has been revised downwards, from 144 to “something closer to 130”.
Mr. Gauthier also discussed the profitability of the project, another issue that has attracted criticism in recent months. The manager explains that the financial package is based on five different sources of income, which do not include the resale of surplus energy to Hydro-Québec – although the state corporation has expressed its interest, he agrees.
“The project is legal, reliable and profitable for Quebec,” insists Éric Gauthier. He recognizes at the same time that a lot of work remains to be done to reach out to the population to convince them of the merits of the company for the community. In addition to 200 permanent jobs created, once the Shawinigan electrolyzer is operational, TES Canada’s operations should generate $238 million in direct royalties for the communities, reiterates the general director.
After the recent submission of the project notice to the Ministry of the Environment, TES Canada is undertaking the impact studies that it must now submit to Quebec, in order to continue the environmental assessment process. The procedures should culminate in the BAPE hearings, over a two-year period. The schedule still aims for construction to begin in early 2026, with the plant starting up somewhere in 2028.
With private investments of four billion dollars, TES Canada is counting on a block of 150 megawatts, already granted by Hydro-Québec. The other energy aspect of the affair is based on the establishment of a wind farm and a solar park, with a potential capacity of 800 and 200 megawatts respectively.
Perhaps a sign of the tensions surrounding the project, the exact location of Tuesday morning’s press conference was not revealed to journalists until a few hours before the event.
More details to come.
