Mauricie: Hydro-Québec to Invest More than $610 million at Rapide-Blanc Generating Station

June 24, 2019

Hydro-Québec is announcing an investment of $612,877,000 to refurbish Rapide-Blanc generating station in the Mauricie region. Work will begin in 2020 to replace the station’s six generating units and to rehabilitate the building, auxiliary electrical and mechanical systems and intake and spillway gates.

“This work will allow the generating station to contribute to meeting Québec’s energy needs for the next 50 years while remaining profitable. This highlights one of the many advantages hydropower has to offer: reliable, continuous energy generation over the long term,” said David Murray, Chief Operating Officer and President of Hydro-Québec Production.

Draft design

Draft-design work is currently being carried out at Rapide-Blanc generating station. These activities are precursors to the execution of the project, and include the construction of workshops and offices. In fall 2019, the wastewater treatment system will be modified and preparatory work for the control room will be carried out. Engineering firms will visit the generating station to finalize the preliminary steps.

About Rapide-Blanc generating station

Commissioned in 1934, the generating station has been operated by Hydro-Québec since the 1963 nationalization of electricity in Québec. With an installed capacity of  204 MW, it has six generating units and a drop height of 32.92 metres. Its reservoir, Blanc reservoir, has an area of 8,260 ha.

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