Energy minister may accept less than half of projects over Hydro concerns

Quebec Economy and Innovation Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon responds to the Opposition after he tabled a legislation on Hydro Quebec, at the legislature in Quebec City, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

Even though Hydro-Québec anticipates the end of energy surpluses by 2027, Energy and Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon believes Quebec has between 8,000 and 10,000 megawatts (MW) of room to power major new economic projects.

The minister, whose role will be to choose which projects go ahead, made the comments on Tuesday on the sidelines of a parliamentary committee on Bill 2 to cap the indexation of rates on electricity distribution.

Hydro-Quebec brief revealed that the list of power demands for potential large corporate projects would represent a total capacity of 23,000 MW if they all went ahead, hypothetically. This is equivalent to 13 times the Romaine complex.

Fitzgibbon compared the 23,000 MW figure to a 'Christmas list' that would not be approved as a whole. He mentioned that 9,000 MW were related to hydrogen projects, which will not be retained.

The bill also reduces the threshold at which Hydro-Québec must supply a project. The threshold would be lowered from 50,000 MW to 5,000 MW, a request made by the Crown corporation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 31, 2023.