Hydro-Québec

Alliance de l’Est eyes mini hydroelectric power plants

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

SAINTE-ANNE-DES-MONTS – The Alliance de l’énergie de l’Est is analyzing the possible acquisition of the Mitis-1 and Mitis-2 hydroelectric dams on the Mitis River near Mont-Joli. If successful, the move would expand its renewable energy portfolio, which already includes wind and solar power.

“We saw an opportunity that seems to be an interesting avenue. We are seriously considering acquiring and operating them, which would add to our portfolio of new renewable energy sources,” said Simon Deschênes, vice president of the alliance and president of the Régie intermunicipale de l’énergie Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

The infrastructure belongs to Hydro-Québec and has been out of service since 2018 due to its dilapidated condition.

The two dams could produce 10 megawatts and have been in place on the river for close to 100 years in one case.

“The prefect of Mitis was looking at this as an important issue, and now that all energy projects have to go through the alliance, the file was quickly forwarded to us. We have conducted studies on the state of the infrastructure and financial modeling. We are in preparation mode to see how far we could go in acquiring it,” says Mr. Deschênes, who also serves as mayor of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts.

However, the elected official does not want to disclose any more information, for example, on the condition of the dams and the costs involved in purchasing and upgrading them.

In recent weeks, the MRCs that are members of the alliance have approved the borrowing bylaw of the Régie intermunicipale de l’énergie Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, authorizing an expenditure not exceeding $5,084,400 and a loan of the same amount for the development, construction, operation, and implementation of financial instruments for the power plant redevelopment project.

The vice-president warns that no conclusions should be drawn about future costs. “What was important was to have the financial resources available. It’s difficult to estimate how much it might cost to bring the two dams back into service. We have to be careful before doing any calculations,” he says.

The Alliance, however, is not closing the door on further acquisitions of small dams. “We are always interested. We have to be careful because there are dams that are already in service and are not necessarily for sale. We are focusing on owning this new source of energy, gaining experience, and improving our knowledge. We are not closing the door,” said Simon Deschênes.

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Beaconsfield’s Bourelle asks Hydro to clarify tree cutting activity

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

Hydro-Québec is currently trimming and felling trees in Beaconsfield with the aim of protecting its equipment. The work being carried out will continue until 2025. The agency is actively removing tree branches or whole trees that are incompatible with the electrical network or that pose a risk during severe weather.

Provincial laws override Beaconsfield’s requirement for permits and tree replacement. In order to protect the canopy, Beaconsfield Mayor George Bourelle has asked Hydro to report its activities taking place within the Beaconsfield city lines. In the interim, affected residents are asked to replace the trees that are removed. “They are not required to plant the new tree in the same location on their property. Beaconsfield is providing a free service via its tree planting program (Ensemble on verdit),” Bourelle explained to The Suburban.

The tree planting program provided by the City of Beaconsfield is available each spring until the end of September.

Beaconsfield is also offering a collection service for debris, such as trunks and large-diameter branches, left on residents’ properties as a result of the Hydro-Québec operations. In accordance with current provincial regulations, the agency can access any tree that may affect its equipment, cut or fell trees and leave the debris near the site of the operation.

“While this may cause inconvenience for some citizens, several options are available for recovering or reusing the wood. For example, you can organize a collection in partnership with a community organization or a wood-selling company. It is also possible to offer it to local artisans or interested citizens,” the City of Beaconsfield wrote in a public memo.

“Beaconsfield has a major tree canopy and we don’t want to destroy that canopy. We can replant in a nearby spot on the same property and our Urban Planning Department can help residents choose the right tree. We understand the work that needs to be carried out, but we asked them (Hydro-Québec) to communicate with us regarding their operations, to update us and make us aware of their plans, so we can work with residents to replace their trees and preserve Beaconsfield’s tree canopy,” Bourelle told The Suburban. n

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Hydro plan to cut outages might help CDN/NDG

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

By Joel Ceausu
The Suburban

Hydro-Québec is launching the first part of its 2035 Action Plan, which aims to boost service quality by reducing outages by about a third within 10 years.

Job one is reducing outages caused by vegetation by about 30% within five years, which means trimming branches and felling trees as contacts between vegetation and power lines are the main cause of breakdowns on the network, Hydro Chief Operating and Infrastructure Officer Claudine Bouchard told reporters Wednesday.

The utility plans to nearly double expenditures to more than $45 billion over a decade and will spend $130 million this year alone on trimming and cutting, clearing 220,000 spans representing some 22,000 km of lines, and felling about 75,000 trees deemed a risk. That will require new collaboration between municipalities and customers to carry out more preventive work, including cutting down trees likely to cause breakdowns. (Outages represent significant costs for Hydro-Québec: From 2016 to 2021, the utility spent between $144 million and $202 million per year on corrective maintenance following outages, even though preventing failure is generally less expensive than corrective intervention during or after outages.)

The utility will also boost network resilience by inspecting 17,000 km of overhead lines, 200,000 poles and 10,000 civil engineering structures and strategic equipment. It will carry out 7,500 equipment maintenance interventions, replace more than 28,000 wooden posts and install more than 500 composite posts; add 12.5 km of covered wires and bury 7 km of lines in the Outaouais and North Shore.

The borough of Côte des Neiges—Notre Dame de Grace just unveiled a plan to plant 5,000 new trees over five years. The borough canopy was hard hit during recent storms, including last April’s ice storm and the area is plagued by power outages year-round. Despite Hydro-Québec operating outside the city’s direct control, Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa is in regular contact with Hydro-Québec and NDG MNA Désirée McGraw, said a statement from her office, “effectively voicing the frustration and dismay felt by CDN-NDG regarding the all-too-recurrent power outages. We are pleased to see that Hydro-Québec is finally taking steps to reduce the number of outages.”

The borough is cautiously optimistic “subject to further evaluation,” that their planting activities are unlikely to significantly impact power supply because the city selected species from a roster pre-approved by Hydro-Quebec to ensure compatibility with their infrastructure. Hydro-Québec and the city have also established a collaborative forum to facilitate ongoing dialogue and cooperation.

The announcement comes 14 months after Quebec Auditor-General Guylaine Leclerc slammed the crown corporation in a stunning, unprecedented 51-page report over Hydro’s laggard service, maintenance and replacement of aging equipment, poor data and reducing frequency and duration of power outages. That report noted Hydro-Québec’s reliability declined markedly, with average outage time per powered customer increasing by 63% between 2012 and 2021, excluding outages due to major weather events. n

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