Cable connection: the Régie rejects Hydro-Québec’s proposal

The Régie de l’énergie is once again sending Hydro-Québec back to the drawing board in the context of the energy transition in the Islands.

In a decision handed down on September 2, the organization rejected the strategy for converting the Iles-de-la-Madeleine network and invited the state-owned company to continue its efforts to document in detail the various scenarios being considered.

The status quo, i.e. supply via the Cap-aux-Meules thermal power plant, is thus maintained for the time being, said the directors Jocelin Dumas, Louise Rozon and Sylvie Durand.

The submarine cable and a combination of 13.4 or 26.8 megawatts of wind power and renewable liquefied natural gas are the three main options for which the Régie is inviting Hydro-Québec to carry out preliminary studies and public consultations.

Considering the three scenarios to be comparable in terms of greenhouse gas reduction, the Régie is asking that a component be included to evaluate the economic benefits and the impact on jobs.

Via press release, Hydro-Quebec said it would take note of the ruling and examine its impact on the project’s schedule.

However, the Crown corporation reaffirms that it prefers the cable connection for the supply of electricity to the archipelago, based on the consultations and analyses conducted since 2018.

At the municipal council in August, the elected officials of Madelinot, in response to concerns expressed by citizens of the Belle-Anse sector in Fatima, had urged Hydro-Quebec to detail the scenarios under study.