More Quebecers will be getting their power from hydroelectric dams, thanks to a $4.2 billion USD project begun by the province. The four dams and 72 dikes will add 883 MW of electricity by 2010, enough to power 425,000 homes.

The Quebec-owned utility, Hydro-Quebec, will be the producer and distributor of the hydropower. The utility is the fourth-largest power producer in the world, generating and distributing most of the province’s electricity as well as exporting it to the Northeastern U.S. States.

The massive undertaking is being billed as energy security for Quebec and an important economic development project. Indeed, it is expected to take around 4,000 people to build the dams. But is it really “green” power?

Some Indian communities like the Cree and Inuit oppose the dam, and have fought the province before on hydro projects on their lands. The anticipated jobs and economic development are attractive to many in this poor, remote location. But the dams will also have massive environmental impact on their lands, including possible flooding of hunting areas and sacred burial sites.

It’s no wonder they are wary; the Cree in Manitoba have been fighting the provincially owned Manitoba Hydro for years seeking reparations for the destruction of their lands and culture due to large hydropower dams. When the Manitoba Hydro project began in the 1970s, the Cree were made promises of economic development and prosperity that have no where near been realized. The hydropower is even being billed as “green” power in some places in the Upper Midwest where it is sold, despite the environmental devastation it’s caused. The Hydro-Quebec project has also been deemed “green” by the Quebec Environment Minister Claude Bechard.

Environmental News Network
Fresh Energy
East Grand Forks Water and Light