A New Strategy to Ensure That Québec’s Wind Energy Resources are Developed to Their Full Potential

January 11, 2023

Hydro-Québec welcomes the mandate it has received from the Québec government to ensure the optimal development of Québec’s wind energy resources. A new procurement strategy, which will ensure the participation of industry partners and local communities, will be put in place. This strategy will make it possible to respond efficiently and at the least possible cost to the need to significantly increase renewable energy supplies by 2030.

As a result, calls for tenders that were to be launched by December 31, 2022, will be canceled in their current form. The energy supplies provided for in these tender calls will be covered in full by a new mechanism, which will target the development of over 4,000 megawatts of wind energy in favorable areas.

According to Hydro-Québec’s recent forecasts, electricity demand in Québec will grow by 25 terawatthours over the next 10 years. Electricity generation must therefore increase significantly, in large part through the development of additional wind resources by 2030.

This situation highlights the importance of coordinating the construction of wind farms in areas where Hydro-Québec can connect them to its transmission grid faster and at a reasonable cost. Adopting an integrated approach to wind energy development is essential if we are to succeed collectively in optimizing Québec’s energy development.

The terms and conditions of the new procurement process, in which all interested parties will have the opportunity to participate, will be announced in the near future.

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