By Canadian Press

Hydro-Québec to spend up to $185 billion to increase capacity, reliability

Nov 2, 2023 | 8:41 AM

MONTREAL — Quebec’s public hydroelectric utility says it plans to spend up to $185 billion by 2035 to increase generating capacity and improve the reliability of its network. 

Hydro-Québec forecasts that by 2050 it will need to produce about twice as much power as it can now for homes and the province’s growing industrial sector.

CEO Michael Sabia says the utility plans to spend around $100 billion by 2035 to increase production capacity, as well as the capacity of its electricity transportation network.

Between $45 billion and $50 billion will be used to improve the reliability of its infrastructure.

Sabia says some of the additional power will come from using new technology in existing hydro plants, and from diversifying its power sources, particularly by tripling its use of wind power.

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He says it’s too early, however, to confirm whether the utility — which generates 99 per cent of its power from hydro plants — will build new dams. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2023.

The Canadian Press