David Rouault
Plannord.gouv.qc.ca
PLAN NORD MAking Québec
A World leAder in
reneWAble energy
© Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune - Roch Théroux The Plan Nord reflects the government’s determination to position
Québec as a world power in clean, renewable energy.
This determination is clearly laid out in the Québec Energy Strategy 2006–2015: Using Energy to Build the Québec of Tomorrow. Since 2003, the gouvernement du Québec has relaunched the development of hydroelectricity in Québec, which continues unabated.
Québec is already the world’s fourth largest hydroelectric producer.
The abundance of this resource constitutes an undeniable asset for industrial development with its clean, renewable, and reliable energy.
Northern Québec’s hydroelectric facilities already produce close to 30,000 MW, about 70% of Québec’s currently available capacity (which includes hydroelectric stations, fossil fuel and nuclear generating plants, and wind farms).
Under the Québec Energy Strategy 2006–2015, the province plans to add 4,500 MW to existing capacity through new large-scale hydroelectric projects, 97% of which will be located in the North.
Over the next 25 years, the Plan Nord undertakes to add 3,500 MW of clean, renewable energy to the province’s existing energy portfolio, of which 3,000 MW will come from hydroelectricity, 300 MW from wind power, and 200 MW from other sources, such as underwater generators.
Preliminary studies indicate great potential for wind power in Northern Québec. This source constitutes a natural complement to hydroelectricity.
Investments estimated at $47 billion are planned over the next 25 years.
THE Plan nord:
Making QuébEc a World lEadEr in rEnEWablE EnErgy
energy for indusTrial and Mining ProjeCTs
In order to facilitate other projects in the Plan Nord area, Hydro- Québec will also support industrial development by constructing and operating off-line hydroelectric stations to provide for the energy needs of specific projects.
The terms of supply contracts will depend on the specifics of each one. After the operational period of each project, Hydro-Québec will find the best uses for the hydroelectric plants established.
Québec offers significantly lower power rates than the main industrialized countries. For example, the residential rate per kilowatt-hour in 2010 was 6.88¢ in Québec, as compared with 11.82¢
in Ontario, 11.58¢ in the United States, and 26¢ in Germany.
Plan nord PrioriTies in The energy seCTor
n Produce 3,500 additional MW of clean, renewable energy
n Support industrial development by attending to the energy needs of specific projects
n Fund the studies required for wind farm projects
for More inforMaTion mrnf.gouv.qc.ca plannord.gouv.qc.ca
QuébeC: World-Class reneWable energy exPerTise Québec’s renewable energy expertise is world class. The province is home to a multitude of well-known specialized enterprises and organizations.
n Hydro-Québec has been present in Northern Québec for over 40 years.
n A number of consulting engineering firms have worked on Québec’s energy megaprojects, such as SNC-Lavallin, BPR, Dessau, Génivar, SM Group International, and RSW.
n Many Québec construction companies have contributed to energy megaprojects in Québec’s North, such as Pomerleau and Axor.
Québec also benefits from numerous dynamic players in the field of wind and biofuels.
n Association québécoise de la production d’énergie renouvelable (AQPER), bringing together the principal actors in Québec’s renewable energy production industry, has over a hundred members.
n Association de l’industrie électrique du Québec (AIEQ) brings together manufacturers, designers, equipment makers, researchers, network managers, engineers, producers, and distributors from Québec’s electricity sector, and has some 150 members.
n Centre Corus, an institution for research, development, and technology transfer, is building a network to consolidate Québec’s wind power know-how in northern environments.
n The Canada Research Chair in the Aerodynamics of Wind Turbines in Nordic Environment at École de technologies supérieures (ÉTS) focuses on aspects of wind generator operation in northern climates.
n Institut de recherche d’Hydro-Québec (IREQ) has a team of 500, including scientists, technicians, engineers, and specialists of all kinds who work together to support Hydro-Québec in every facet of its operations, notably in Plan Nord areas.
n Université du Québec à Chicoutimi’s (UQAC) Groupe de recherche en ingénierie de l’environnement atmosphérique (GRIEA) works to understand cold precipitation conditions close to ground level in order to determine the disruptive effects of such conditions on exposed structures (specifically power lines) and establish prevention methods for use by designers and those responsible for maintaining them.
n Université de Sherbrooke and Consortium Innovation technologie énergie Côte-Nord (CITEC) have joined forces to design and build an underwater generator prototype for rivers, known as Projet Maelstrom.
