Hydro-Québec is pleased to present its Sustainability Report 2008, "Our Commitment to the Future". Each year for the past seven years, the company has reported on its environmental, social and economic performance by publishing a document in this form. 

“We have been integrating environmental concerns into our practices for 35 years and applying the principles associated with the three pillars of sustainable development to every stage in the planning and construction of our hydropower projects for over 10 years,” noted Marie-José Nadeau, Hydro-Québec’s Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Secretary General.

Hydro-Québec’s sustainability vision incorporates energy efficiency, renewable energies and innovation.  Our 2008 report focuses on six main themes:

·         Renewable energies and energy efficiency

·         Environmental protection and quality of life

·         Social commitment

·         High-quality, customer-driven service

·         Human resources development

·         Contribution to the Québec economy

The new features in this year’s report include a summary of our sustainable development action plan, which is aligned with the Government Sustainable Development Strategy 2008-2013, as well as hyperlinks to the Web version of the report.

Here are some of the highlights in 2008:

·         Public hearings were held on the Romaine project (Côte-Nord)

·         We signed agreements with four Innu communities and the regional county municipality of Minganie relating to the Romaine project

·         Energy savings of 1.1 TWh were achieved in 2008, and the new target is 11 TWh by 2015

·         66,500 old refrigerators and freezers were recovered under the RECYC-FRIGO Environnement™ program

·         A major research project on net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from reservoirs continued

·         21,909 payment arrangements were reached with low-income customers for a total of nearly $150 million

·         Contracts were signed to purchase 2,005 MW of wind power

·         An agreement for the supply of electric vehicle motors was signed by Hydro-Québec subsidiary TM4 and a subsidiary of Tata Motors

Sustainability requires long-term commitment, painstaking effort and true dialogue with all stakeholders. This is why Hydro-Québec strives to improve its performance every year: we take pride in the progress we have made, but realize how far we have yet to go.

Hydro-Québec plans to uphold its contribution to preserving the natural heritage while ensuring that it can meet the energy needs of the present and of generations to come. That is Our Commitment to the Future.

To view the online version of the Sustainability Report 2008:

http://www.hydroquebec.com/publications/en/enviro_performance/index.html

For additional information on sustainability: http://www.hydroquebec.com/sustainable-development/index.html