Discover Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie and its system
A Division That Respects the Environment

In its field operations, Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie takes care to protect the natural environment and citizens' quality of life.

Continued improvement of our environmental practices
For a number of years, Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie has been actively involved in environmental protection, and now makes environmental management an integral part of the division's regular management activities.

As a result of steps taken to uphold the division's reputation as a reliable transmission provider and promote the environment-friendly qualities of its transmission system, with a view to sustainable development, Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie's Environmental Management System (EMS) earned ISO 14001 registration in 2002.

This registration covers the division as a whole for its activities related to the Québec transmission system.

In addition to demonstrating our ISO compliance and our commitment to abide by environment-related legislation, regulations and other requirements currently in force, the EMS enables us to continue to live up to our customers' increasingly high environmental expectations.

Declaration of Environmental Principles
Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie has adopted a Declaration of Environmental Principles in which it states its main commitments with respect to its operations and mission.

EMF Assessment
As part of projects to build new high-voltage lines and transformer substations, exposure to the electromagnetic fields (EMFs) generated by these power facilities is determined through computer simulations that take into account the predicted current transmitted in operations mode. Projects simulated include the 120-kV Paquin–Saint-Lin high-voltage line and Saint-Lazare substation.

Prevention of damage caused by birds
The damage caused by woodpeckers to power lines that run on wooden H-frames is cause for concern. Wood poles attract these birds, who use their bills to create nesting cavities which adversely affect the poles' mechanical strength. We are conducting studies to better understand this phenomenon and effectively reduce deterioration of the equipment, while preserving the species concerned. Switchyards are also frequented by birds. Their presence can lead to power failures, as well as dirt and damage. Large birds (such as crows) are drawn to switchyards because of the food and perches they can find there. We are testing various techniques to make switchyards less attractive to birds, limit the proliferation of small insects and discourage the presence of birds around substations.

Vegetation control
To ensure system reliability, Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie must periodically control the vegetation in its transmission line rights-of-way and at switchyards. In rights-of-way, the objective is to control vegetation (mainly trees) that is not compatible with system operations and to establish and maintain low-growing plants (herbaceous species and shrubs). In switchyards, for safety reasons, all the vegetation must be controlled. We apply the concept of "integrated vegetation management", which means using the right method—or combination of methods—in the right place, at the right time. In some cases, Hydro-Québec uses herbicides on a selective basis to control incompatible vegetation. The quantity of pesticides used by Hydro-Québec for vegetation control accounts for only 0.4% of the total amount sold in Québec every year. The company also conducts an R&D program to develop effective vegetation control strategies that take environmental criteria into account, including the particular characteristics of host communities.
For more information on this subject, visit our Vegetation Control site.