Gabrielle-Bodis and Robert-A.-Boyd solar generating stations
Work
In February 2019, Hydro-Québec submitted applications to the Québec government for permission to build two photovoltaic solar generating stations with a total installed capacity of under 10 MW. The locations chosen for the construction of the planned generating stations are on land owned by Hydro-Québec in Varennes (Hydro-Québec’s research institute) and La Prairie (former site of the La Citière thermal generating station). These sites are cleared and located in industrial zones, far from urban areas, which will enable seamless integration with their surroundings. The impacts on the environment and the population will therefore be very limited.
Hydro-Québec has received all necessary authorizations to begin construction of the two generating stations and, following a call for proposals, has awarded a turnkey contract to a contractor (Borea Construction) responsible for engineering, procurement, and construction. Detailed engineering for the stations began in fall 2019. Workers were assigned to jobsites in spring 2020, with commissioning slated for late 2020.
Inauguration of the generating stations – Sophie Brochu, President and CEO of Hydro-Québec
Inauguration of the generating stations – Jonatan Julien, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
Inauguration of the generating stations – Donat Serres, Mayor of La Prairie
Inauguration of the generating stations – Martin Damphousse, Mayor of Varennes
Inauguration of the generating stations – Robert O. Boyd, son of Robert A. Boyd
Inauguration of the generating stations – Victoria Naday, goddaughter of Gabrielle Bodis
Inauguration of the generating stations – Donat Serres, Mayor of La Prairie; Victoria Naday, goddaughter of Gabrielle Bodis; Sophie Brochu, President and CEO of Hydro-Québec; Jonatan Julien, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources; Robert O. Boyd, son of Robert A. Boyd; and Martin Damphousse, Mayor of Varennes
La Prairie – Aerial view of the work site in mid-July 2020
La Prairie – Screw piles used to anchor the fixed supports for the photovoltaic panels
La Prairie – The first steps in installing the fixed supports
La Prairie – Installation of the fixed supports for the photovoltaic panels
La Prairie – The first fixed support installed
La Prairie – A row of fixed supports
La Prairie – The trench dug for the collector system cables connecting the inverter-transformer units to the switchyard
La Prairie – The switchyard under construction
La Prairie – View of the switchyard under construction, the temporary jobsite facilities and the installed supports and screw piles (in the background)
La Prairie – La Prairie Mayor Donat Serres visits the site in July 2020, accompanied by Hydro-Québec representatives
La Prairie – Installation of the first photovoltaic panels.
La Prairie – View of the rear surface of the bifacial panels, which capture direct solar radiation on their top surface and indirect reflected radiation from the ground on their rear surface.
La Prairie – Photovoltaic panels from the Québec company Stace
La Prairie – Row of photovoltaic panels and junction boxes
La Prairie – Row of photovoltaic panels
La Prairie – Photovoltaic plant under construction
La Prairie – Weather station
La Prairie – Switchyard under construction
La Prairie – Aerial view of the work site in mid-November 2020
La Prairie – Aerial view of the work site in mid-November 2020
Varennes – Work starts on the permanent road
Varennes – A drilling rig is brought in to erect the piles
Varennes – Concrete-encased bore piles to be used as anchors for the photovoltaic panel supports
Varennes – Excavating the foundation of the future generating station control building
Varennes – Control building and switchyard under construction
Varennes – Row of single-axis trackers (enable the panels to follow the sun’s path)
Varennes – Up-close view of single-axis tracker (enables the panels to follow the sun’s path)
Varennes – Photovoltaic panels mounted on single-axis trackers (enable the panels to follow the sun’s path)
Varennes – Rows of photovoltaic panels on fixed racking
Varennes – Visit of Mayor of Varennes, Martin Damphousse, accompanied by Hydro-Québec representatives, in September 2020
Varennes – Aerial view of the work site in mid-November 2020
Project schedule
Government approvals receivedFall 2019
Detailed engineeringNovember 2019 to May 2020
ConstructionMay 2020 to November 2020
Site preparation, earthwork, access roadMay to June 2020
Installation of generation equipment and switchyardJune to November 2020
CommissioningDecember 2020
Generic construction sequence for a photovoltaic solar generating station
Installation of temporary jobsite facilities
Earthwork and water management work for the site
Construction of permanent civil infrastructure (access road, fencing)
Installation of underground electric wiring
Installation of piles, racking and photovoltaic panels
Installation of electrical equipment and switchyard
Removal of temporary facilities and site restoration
Technical specifications of the generating stations
Station located on land on which Hydro-Québec’s research institute is situated
City
Varennes (Marguerite-D’Youville MRC, Montérégie)
Area
5.6 hectares (56,000 m2), or the equivalent of approximately 10 football fields
Installed power
1.5 MW
Panels and racking
4,620 single-face and bifacial panels mounted on fixed racking and single-axis trackers
Connection
To the 25-kV distribution system via the Varennes substation
Station at the former La Citière thermal generating station site
City
La Prairie (Roussillon MRC, Montérégie)
Area
15 hectares (150,000 m2), or the equivalent of approximately 28 football fields
Installed power
8 MW
Panels and racking
25,740 bifacial panels (including 4,316 made in Québec) installed on fixed racking
Connection
To the 25-kV distribution system via the Roussillon substation
In February 2019, Hydro-Québec submitted applications to the Québec government for permission to build two photovoltaic solar generating stations with a total installed capacity of under 10 MW. The locations chosen for the construction of the planned generating stations are on land owned by Hydro-Québec in Varennes (Hydro-Québec’s research institute) and La Prairie (former site of the La Citière thermal generating station). These sites are cleared and located in industrial zones, far from urban areas, which will enable seamless integration with their surroundings. The impacts on the environment and the population will therefore be very limited.
Hydro-Québec has received all necessary authorizations to begin construction of the two generating stations and, following a call for proposals, has awarded a turnkey contract to a contractor (Borea Construction) responsible for engineering, procurement, and construction. Detailed engineering for the stations began in fall 2019. Workers were assigned to jobsites in spring 2020, with commissioning slated for late 2020.
Inauguration of the generating stations – Sophie Brochu, President and CEO of Hydro-Québec
Inauguration of the generating stations – Jonatan Julien, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
Inauguration of the generating stations – Donat Serres, Mayor of La Prairie
Inauguration of the generating stations – Martin Damphousse, Mayor of Varennes
Inauguration of the generating stations – Robert O. Boyd, son of Robert A. Boyd
Inauguration of the generating stations – Victoria Naday, goddaughter of Gabrielle Bodis
Inauguration of the generating stations – Donat Serres, Mayor of La Prairie; Victoria Naday, goddaughter of Gabrielle Bodis; Sophie Brochu, President and CEO of Hydro-Québec; Jonatan Julien, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources; Robert O. Boyd, son of Robert A. Boyd; and Martin Damphousse, Mayor of Varennes
La Prairie – Aerial view of the work site in mid-July 2020
La Prairie – Screw piles used to anchor the fixed supports for the photovoltaic panels
La Prairie – The first steps in installing the fixed supports
La Prairie – Installation of the fixed supports for the photovoltaic panels
La Prairie – The first fixed support installed
La Prairie – A row of fixed supports
La Prairie – The trench dug for the collector system cables connecting the inverter-transformer units to the switchyard
La Prairie – The switchyard under construction
La Prairie – View of the switchyard under construction, the temporary jobsite facilities and the installed supports and screw piles (in the background)
La Prairie – La Prairie Mayor Donat Serres visits the site in July 2020, accompanied by Hydro-Québec representatives
La Prairie – Installation of the first photovoltaic panels.
La Prairie – View of the rear surface of the bifacial panels, which capture direct solar radiation on their top surface and indirect reflected radiation from the ground on their rear surface.
La Prairie – Photovoltaic panels from the Québec company Stace
La Prairie – Row of photovoltaic panels and junction boxes
La Prairie – Row of photovoltaic panels
La Prairie – Photovoltaic plant under construction
La Prairie – Weather station
La Prairie – Switchyard under construction
La Prairie – Aerial view of the work site in mid-November 2020
La Prairie – Aerial view of the work site in mid-November 2020
Varennes – Work starts on the permanent road
Varennes – A drilling rig is brought in to erect the piles
Varennes – Concrete-encased bore piles to be used as anchors for the photovoltaic panel supports
Varennes – Excavating the foundation of the future generating station control building
Varennes – Control building and switchyard under construction
Varennes – Row of single-axis trackers (enable the panels to follow the sun’s path)
Varennes – Up-close view of single-axis tracker (enables the panels to follow the sun’s path)
Varennes – Photovoltaic panels mounted on single-axis trackers (enable the panels to follow the sun’s path)
Varennes – Rows of photovoltaic panels on fixed racking
Varennes – Visit of Mayor of Varennes, Martin Damphousse, accompanied by Hydro-Québec representatives, in September 2020
Varennes – Aerial view of the work site in mid-November 2020
Project schedule
Government approvals receivedFall 2019
Detailed engineeringNovember 2019 to May 2020
ConstructionMay 2020 to November 2020
Site preparation, earthwork, access roadMay to June 2020
Installation of generation equipment and switchyardJune to November 2020
CommissioningDecember 2020
Generic construction sequence for a photovoltaic solar generating station
Installation of temporary jobsite facilities
Earthwork and water management work for the site
Construction of permanent civil infrastructure (access road, fencing)
Installation of underground electric wiring
Installation of piles, racking and photovoltaic panels
Installation of electrical equipment and switchyard
Removal of temporary facilities and site restoration
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