A government energy minister in Quebec scrapped a planned call for tenders by Hydro-Québec for wind and other renewable energy resources. The tender was slated for release by December 31.

A plan now calls for the development of 4 GW of wind energy resources in the Canadian province. Hydro-Québec is expected to launch a procurement process in the coming months.

The government said it will work to ensure that future wind power projects optimize the electricity transmission network. It said that areas where network capacity remains available or where an upgrade can be made quickly will be targeted. Doing so is expected to make it possible to speed up connecting projects to the grid and better ensure an “efficient energy supply in the regions.”

Hydro-Québec is drawing up maps to develop wind farms in strategic locations. 

In November, the government corporation released its 2023-2032 Supply Plan, which forecasts an increase in energy demand of nearly 25 TWh over the 10-year period.

This increase is due to several factors, some of which relate to the energy transition:

• Organic growth: +4.3 TWh
• Building/industrial process conversion: +4.5 TWh
• Emerging markets, including data centers (4.1 TWh), green hydrogen production (2.3 TWh), battery components for electric vehicles (1.2 TWh) and greenhouse farming (0.7 TWh): +8.9 TWh
• New technologies:
  • Photovoltaic solar: −0.7 TWh
  • Transportation electrification: +7.8 TWh

The utility also said that in light of the “significant increase” in anticipated demand for electricity and tightening energy and capacity balances, it asked the Régie de l’énergie to suspend an allocation process to serve the blockchain industry. Under this process, around 270 MW was slated to be dedicated to cryptographic use over the short term. Hydro-Québec said the allocation “would increase pressure on current balances.”

Terms and conditions of the new procurement process are expected to be announced in the near future.