U.S. President Barack Obama is the reason behind Quebec Energy Minister Claude Béchard direct order to Hydro-Québec to speed up the construction of two hydro-dam projects. With the U.S. expressing more interest in renewable energy, Béchard has given Hydro-Québec six months to update its strategic plan in order to address the likely increased demand.
“Quebec needs to be front and centre when the U.S. goes shopping for alternatives to oil and gas,” Béchard told the CBC.
Béchard would like to see the revised Hydro-Québec Strategic Plan include a plan for speeding up the construction of its new dam projects, which include the Eastmain 1-A project on Rupert River and the 1,550 megawatt Romaine River complex.
According to the CBC, Hydro-Québec faces several obstacles in expanding its mega-projects including the opposition of local Aboriginal peoples whose land these projects are being developed on.
