Hydro-Quebec turning to wind power for new energy production

Quebec’s public utility company is turning to the sky to boost it energy production.

Hydro-Québec wants to generate ten thousand megawatts for power by 2035 with the construction of new wind turbines in different areas of Quebec.

CEO Michael Sabia says it’s shift toward producing more green energy and cleaner power while meeting Quebec’s growing energy demands.

“This is about changing the game and getting to kind of, not boutique wind power, but industrial strength wind power,” Sabia said at a press conference.

Sabia says the public utility company will be reaching out to indigenous communities and rural municipalities to win over their support and offer them a financial return in any revenues generated from the energy produced.

Hydro-Québec won’t be the manufacturers of the turbines but will own and operate them. Calls for public tenders will be issued to private companies to build them.

“There are big companies in the world who do that as their main line of business,” Sabia said.

Environmentalists endorse the plan saying it’s a step in the right direction.

“We do need this energy in order to get rid of fossil fuels, oil gas, for industrial buildings, transportation, we need to electrify,” Patrick Bonin, an energy analyst at Greenpeace told Global News.

But one Quebec MNA says work to upgrade the existing power grid infrastructure in Montreal is needed immediately to withstand extreme weather conditions.

“We know that the hydro grid is facing severe deficiencies,” Greg Kelley, the Liberal MNA (Jacques-Cartier) said.

Sabia insists an additional $3 Billion is being invested to upgrade the network in the immediate future and he’s banking on the wind turbines to produce additional green power in the long term.