Due to the many major projects presented to the government, particularly related to the “battery sector”, Quebec will clearly have to produce even more electricity than expected in the coming years, notes François Legault.
The prime minister also expects the 100 TWh target set in March 2022 by former Hydro-Québec CEO Sophie Brochu to be revised upward when her successor, Michael Sabia, presents his next update in the next few weeks and months.
One hundred terawatt hours is half a hydro-Québec, Mr Legault recalled on Friday, using an expression established during the last election campaign. However, in his opinion, this goal should be reassessed this fall.
According to the Prime Minister, the needs estimated last year are no longer sufficient. A hundred terawatt hours? I’ll tell you today [que] it’s even more, he said on Friday.
Hydro-Québec, whose network has been generating surpluses for decades, is now expecting an electricity shortage in the medium term.
It is about a steady increase in consumption, driven by the numerous projects presented to the government, which aims to find a balance between their economic benefits and the achievement of carbon neutrality by 2050.
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Ford, Volta, Northvolt: the emerging “battery sector” in Quebec represents a good problem for the Legault government.
“We have about 75 projects on the table,” the prime minister said at a press conference on Friday. I’m proud of that, [mais] we won’t be able to [tous les] accept, he said.
We need to see, project by project, which have the greatest economic benefit and which also allow us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Quebec.
The Legault government must therefore make decisions and find other sources of electricity. In addition to the new dams mentioned in the election campaign, Quebec will have to focus in particular on Churchill Falls and Gull Island in Newfoundland and Labrador, said the Prime Minister.
Existing dams could also be modernized to generate more electricity, he emphasized.
In the case of nuclear energy, however, no decision has been made yet, assured M. Legault.
Paid construction training
Nevertheless, many projects have to be started at short notice, not just on the Hydro-Québec side, but in all areas.
Social housing, schools, structuring of public transport networks: there is no shortage of infrastructure projects these days, and labor needs appear to be just as important as energy needs, the Prime Minister acknowledged on Friday.
He therefore reiterated his desire to set up short-term training courses to train more workers in the construction sector.
Discussions are currently underway with the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) on this issue. An announcement is expected this fall, but Mr. Legault indicated on Friday that he would like to be able to pay students to take the training.
A warm autumn in perspective
The prime minister addressed the energy issue by taking stock of the pre-election meeting that his party, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), held in Jonquière this week.
He also took the opportunity to express his “concern” about the strikes that certain unions unhappy with the state of negotiations with the public sector are threatening to trigger at the end of the month.
Mr Legault also explained in English that he considered it necessary to appeal the case of the English school authorities, which his government still wants to abolish despite the recent setback in the Supreme Court. The announcement could come within days or even hours, he said.