Hydropower Projects and Sustainable Development

Hydro-Québec's major hydropower projects are designed with three sustainable development criteria in mind.

Significant sums are invested in environmental impact studies, environmental monitoring, and mitigation and compensation measures in order to preserve biodiversity.

Impact studies are conducted by Hydro-Québec at the very beginning of a project to assess its effects on the environment and mitigate its effects. This effort is combined with environmental monitoring during and following the construction phase, as well as initiatives to enhance the area. Thanks to the knowledge it acquired over more than 30 years, especially with regard to northern ecosystems, Hydro-Québec can narrow-in on the precise impacts that a new development project will have on the host environment.

Three sustainable development criteria

• The project must be profitable under current market conditions.
• The project must be environmentally acceptable and in keeping with the principles of sustainable development.
• The project must be well received by local communities.

Videos of real-life cases (in French only)