Key project stages
To meet Québec's growing electricity demand, Hydro‑Québec needs to carry out several major projects in the coming years. These projects are key to ensuring a reliable supply of renewable energy.
Steps involved in the collaborative process
Our major projects meet the needs of the energy transition to replace polluting energy sources with renewable ones. They all follow a structured process—involving five main stages— over a period of several years. It is a process that is both thorough and dynamic, including a set of tasks and complex analyses that are adapted to each project based on its nature, location and specific features. Hundreds of people participate in the process, including engineers, environmental experts, technical experts and many others. Each decision is based on in-depth studies, consultations, and technical and environmental validations.
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Planning
Objective: To examine several technical scenarios designed to ensure grid sustainability and reliability and meet the growing demand for electricity.
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Examples of actions
- Conducting an analysis of the technical scenarios
- Conducting natural and human environment studies
- Identifying potential environmental issues
- Establishing potential legal requirements
- Assessing environmental feasibility and developing recommendations
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Draft design phase
Objective: To design a project that takes technical, economic, social and environmental needs into account and integrates the concerns and opinions expressed during the public participation process.
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Examples of actions
- Leading a public consultation
- Conducting technical and environmental studies (natural environment, archaeology, landscape, land use, noise, etc.)
- Developing variants
- Carrying out detailed engineering
- Selecting an optimal location for the project
- Identifying legal requirements
- Determining impacts and appropriate mitigation measures
- Drafting the environmental assessment or the impact assessment
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Government approvals
Objective: To prepare and submit the required documentation to the government in order to obtain all the necessary approvals for the project.
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Main approvals required
- For major linear, wind power or hydropower projects: A Québec government Order in Council issued following the environmental impact assessment and review procedure set out in Sections 31.1 and following of the Environment Quality Act (EQA)
- For certain types of work (e.g., work in wetlands and aquatic environments, construction of transformer substations): One or more ministerial authorizations issued by the Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) pursuant to Section 22 of the EQA
- For power line, substation and power generation projects: A resolution from the regional county municipality (MRC) affected stating an opinion on the project's compliance with the objectives of the land use and development plan
- For major investments on the transmission system: Approval by the Régie de l'énergie du Québec (Québec's energy board)
- For projects on protected agricultural land: Approval from the Commission de protection du territoire agricole du Québec (CPTAQ)
- For work in fish habitats: Approval from the MELCCFP and Fisheries and Oceans Canada
When projects are subject to the environmental impact assessment and review procedure, the MELCCFP will give the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) an information mandate. The BAPE will then recommend an appropriate consultation method based on public demands (mediation, targeted consultation or a public hearing). The BAPE analyzes the project impartially, asks questions, requests any additional information and consults the public if necessary. Finally, the BAPE submits a report with its recommendations to the MELCCFP, which is responsible for with making the final decision.
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Project and construction
Objective: To carry out engineering and construction work for planned facilities while also implementing mitigation measures regarding environmental impacts, and to provide the public and all affected parties with progress updates.
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Examples of actions
- Detailed engineering
- Preparing plans and specifications as well as the tender documents
- Preparing the environmental clauses
- Construction work
- Implementing mitigation measures regarding environmental impacts
- Monitoring by environment experts
- Ongoing communication with the public (Project News bulletins, website, Info-Project phone line)
- Site restoration
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Operation and follow‑up
The last stage involves commissioning the facilities so they can carry out their role in the power system. This stage includes equipment operation and maintenance as well as ensuring that the mitigation measures designed to limit environmental impacts are maintained. Our experts closely monitor the measures to ensure their effectiveness. This thorough follow‑up is continued well after commissioning to ensure our commitments to the environment and the communities are respected.
