GASPÉ – Unblocking the bottleneck east of Rivière-du-Loup is a top priority for Hydro-Québec.
Minister of Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, emphasized during his visit to Gaspé on February 9, that the latest calls for tenders for wind power were planned near transport lines to generate around 3,000 megawatts of energy by 2029.
“We have reached the end. Now, we need to look at which places in Quebec where there is the most wind and which we need to interconnect. Hydro-Québec submitted its $150 billion to $185 billion plan in November. We are refining the sequence. Transport lines aren’t just here. It is certain that in the Gaspé Peninsula and Rivière-du-Loup there is a problem. I can’t promise this will be the first line they’ll do, but clearly, it’s at the top of the list. Hydro-Québec will have to announce within a month or two what they are going to do,” remarked the minister.
The Government of Quebec wants Quebec content in the wind sector, but the minister is seeking a balance between costs and local content.
“The more predictability we can give to equipment manufacturers, the more open they will be to setting up. A 107-metre blade travels badly,” says the minister, referring to the giant size of some modern windmill blades.
Mr. Fitzgibbon adds he will be tabling a bill that will provide for calls for tender and even private contracting “if the prices are right”. “In this context, we can be more demanding for Quebec content,” he added.
As for future calls for tenders, there are still development possibilities.
“Hydro-Québec’s 2035 action plan targets 8,000 to 10,000 megawatts. If I remember correctly, it’s 2,000 to 3,000 megawatts of wind power alone. That means you have to install four times more. There is a lot of wind power coming in the next 10 years. Now, it will be up to Hydro-Québec to say very quickly, after the bill, what the sequence will be,” indicates Mr. Fitzgibbon.
He also points out the challenges of finding turbines as manufacturers face supply and demand issues on the global market.
In terms of the future of offshore wind power, the minister notes that he stays in contact with General Electric which is building blades in Gaspé for these wind farms, particularly for New England.
“We can imagine on the coasts of the maritime provinces that there is room for offshore. I was skeptical about the cost. And we came out with 5 or 6 cents after the tax credit. We are not far from rate L,” mentions the minister. The L tariff is the business rate charged by the utility.
However, he explained that Quebec’s land potential for wind power is not fully exploited yet.
“There are so many possibilities for onshore wind power in Quebec. We have 4000 megawatts out of 40,000. We can increase that, I hope, to 10,000 more. Nergica could do work and look at offshore costs with a 15-megawatt platform. It’s remarkable what they’re doing today. I am open to that, but we have to balance the marginal cost,” says Mr. Fitzgibbon.