Climate Change Adaptation Plan
Climate change has already started and is set to escalate in the coming years. Hydro‑Québec takes an active role in reducing GHG emissions, in part because its energy production system has one of the lowest carbon emission rates in the world. Nevertheless, it must adapt to climate change to ensure that it fulfills its main mission of providing reliable and sustainable power and quality services tailored to the needs of its customers.
To this end, Hydro-Québec has undertaken an extensive analysis of the potential impact of climate change on its assets and activities and has established measures to ensure their resilience. This initial Climate Change Adaptation Plan provides Hydro-Québec with both a governance framework and concrete measures to more effectively manage the climate change risks it faces.
- Read the summary of the Climate Change Adaptation Plan. [PDF 630 kB]
- See the Climate Change Adaptation Plan. [PDF 4.32 MB]
The adaptation plan in brief
Climate change poses challenges for Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec’s diverse range of activities extend across the province. As a result, the company could face a wide variety of impacts.
CENTRAL QUÉBEC
More fires and more precipitation
- Changes in water management practices due to change in flood regimes
- Damage to infrastructure
- Reduces transmission capacity
URBAN AND RURAL QUÉBEC
Rising temperatures and extreme precipitation
- Heat stroke among workers
- More flooding
- Higher energy demand in the summer
ARTIC QUÉBEC
Rising temperatures and melting permafrost
- Damage to roads and infrastructure
- Relocation of northern treeline
- Impact on off-grid systems (e.g., subsidence caused by thawing permafrost that could force the shutdown of a thermal plant that supplies power to the grid)
COASTAL QUÉBEC
Increase in storms, surges and erosion
- Highly vulnerable infrastructure (roads, power lines and buildings)
- Change in wind power potential due to change in average prevailing wind direction
Hydro-Québec has targeted its priority action areas for the next few years
Hydro-Québec has identified 26 priority action areas, divided into four categories.
Design
Assets whose current design may no longer be suited to the new climate reality.
Example: Limit the heat island effect caused by Hydro-Québec facilities.
Operations
Inability to conduct activities according to current methods or requirements.
Example: Adapt vegetation control to account for the increased growth of certain species.
Outages and asset impacts
Incidents caused by high-intensity weather events.
Example: Ensure the safety of assets and activities in areas at risk of forest fire.
Worker health and safety
Deterioration of the work environment due to climate change.
Example: Protect personnel from heat stroke and related conditions.
Hydro-Québec is taking action
For each priority action area, Hydro-Québec has identified concrete actions with targets and indicators to measure progress.
Click each climate hazard to see an example of a Hydro-Québec action.
Implement a policy to adapt parking lots to climate change.
Strengthen prevention efforts by implementing adaptation solutions for critical infrastructure and by renewing the agreement with SOPFEU.
Increase budgets and resources to deliver an integrated vegetation control program.
Establish a reference framework for defining hydroclimatic criteria (floods, precipitation, temperatures, etc.) for facilities affected by climate change.
The adaptation process is constantly evolving
We encourage you to revisit this page, since the adaptation plan will be updated regularly as the situation evolves and our knowledge changes.
