Hydro-Québec projects deficit that could force it to rely on U.S. and other provinces

Hydro-Québec has released a report suggesting it may need to import electricity from neighbouring provinces or the United States within the next three years.

The state-owned utility’s new supply plan for 2027—2041 projects a high increase in the demand for energy in the coming years.

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The utility expects this demand could cause it to face energy deficits as early as 2029.

Hydro-Québec estimates that the demand for Quebec’s electricity will increase by over 30 per cent by 2041.

The report says the increasing demand is expected to be driven by a number of factors, including the electrification of transportation, data centres, and energy retrofits of buildings that currently rely on fossil fuels.

It also says demand from data centres is expected to grow significantly during the coming years.