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ARTICLE · 28 MAY 2014

Québec Energy Update: Government Announces its Intent to Relaunch "Small Hydro"

McCarthy Tétrault
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On May 21, 2014, Mr. Philippe Couillard, Premier of Québec, presented his inaugural speech at the National Assembly.

CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Daniel Bénay
Daniel Bénay
Louis-Nicolas Boulanger
Louis-Nicolas Boulanger
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On May 21, 2014, Mr. Philippe Couillard, Premier of Québec, presented his inaugural speech at the National Assembly (available here in French only). This was Mr. Couillard's first inaugural speech which laid out the priorities and guiding objectives that his newly-elected government intends to follow and implement within the next four years.

Below are selected highlights from the inaugural speech that are of interest for the Québec energy sector.

Small Hydro

The Government announced its intent to relaunch the private hydroelectricity procurement program. This program involved purchases of electric power by Hydro-Québec from privately-owned 50 MW and less hydroelectric projects (often referred to as "small hydro"). This program had been cancelled early last year by the former Government on the basis that Hydro-Québec had significant electricity surpluses and therefore had no need for additional electric power procurement. Mr. Couillard also mentioned that the

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