Image: Développement durable
Lien: Retour à Développement durable

Illustrating Sustainable Development through Concrete Examples

Ottawa River Hydroelectric Developments
 

Objective: Manage the hydroelectric developments on the Ottawa River, which is over 1,100 km long and has generating facilities dating back to the 1920s and 1930s, taking into account the users of the watershed as a whole.

  • Total installed capacity: 1,813.5 MW
  • Number of generating stations: 15, with 9 on the Ottawa River. The 2007 commissioning of Mercier generating station on the Gatineau River added 50.5 MW in installed capacity and 282 GWh in annual output. The development option selected does not entail any flooding or diversion, and preserves the current reservoir management method.
  • Watershed area: 146,334 km2, with 92,203 km2 in Québec and the remainder in Ontario
  • Main rivers in Québec: Gatineau, Lièvre, Kipawa and Rouge
Environment
 
PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE AND HABITATS, AND JOINT WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

When

  • Over the years, and particularly since 1995, we have carried out research and other efforts to protect wildlife, vegetation and habitats, and to enhance the environment in areas affected by our activities.

How

  • Stabilization of several kilometres of banks along the Ottawa River to control erosion; riverbank renaturalization
  • Release of an instream flow at the Rapides-des-Quinze spillway to offset fish habitat loss caused by spillway reconstruction
  • Studies on the heritage value of several generating facilities, including Rapides-Farmer and Bryson

Examples of projects funded by the Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l'environnement

  • Habitat restoration – Pointe-Fortune
  • Protection of freshwater turtles – Bristol, Angers and Plaisance
  • Protection of vulnerable and threatened species – Aylmer
 

 

Society
 
CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITIES' QUALITY OF LIFE

How

  • Multipurpose use of our properties and facilities
  • Support for enhancement initiatives
  • Participation in the work of various organizations, including the board responsible for the Petite Nation River integrated development plan

Examples

  • Enhancement of various sites: wildlife observation post (Lochaber), Centenaire Park (Thurso), Plaisance Falls on the Petite Nation River
  • Agreement with Tembec and the municipality of Témiscaming until 2009 to create multi-purpose facilities and carry out landscaping at Lumsden dam
  • Agreements with the Aboriginal community of Kitcisakik regarding land use around Bourque dam (Dozois reservoir) and water-quality monitoring in swimming areas
 

 

Economy
 
SUPPORT FOR THE PROVINCIAL AND REGIONAL ECONOMIES

How

  • During various refurbishment projects, measures were introduced to promote local subcontracting, in conjunction with the economic spinoff optimization committees in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (ComaxAT) and Témiscamingue (ComaxTEM).
  • Financial assistance was granted for the construction of recreational facilities proposed by the Récré-eau-des-Quinze organization at Rapides-des-Quinze, Rapides-des-Îles and Première-Chute generating stations.

Some statistics

  • Construction of Mercier generating station (50.5 MW): total project cost of $140 million; economic spinoffs for the Outaouais and Laurentides regions of over $10.6 million. Throughout the service life of the generating station, spinoffs will be around $700,000 per year.
  • Carillon and Rapides-Farmer generating stations: more than 4,700 visitors in 2007.
 

 
Top
Link: Hydro-Québec's Home Page