Claudine Bouchard will succeed Michael Sabia at the head of Hydro-Québec

The Legault government has decided to entrust the reins of Hydro-Québec to an internal candidate, Claudine Bouchard, who hitherto held the functions of vice-president in management as well as operational and infrastructure chef.

This decision was made Wednesday afternoon at the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers, which took place virtual this week.

Ms. Bouchard will become President and CEO (CEO) to replace Michael Sabia, who announced on June 11 that he will leave Hydro-Québec on Friday, July 4 to become a clerk of the Private Council and secretary of the Government of Canada alongside Prime Minister Mark Carney.

His candidacy had been recommended by the board of directors of the Crown company and by its president, Manon Brouillette. The daily The Presse had revealed on June 27 that Prime Minister François Legault had already had an interview With Ms. Bouchard.

The one who will become the 16th CEO In the history of Hydro-Québec said he honored of the mandate entrusted to him on Wednesday by press release.

It is a great privilege to direct this company which has so deeply marked the history of Quebec and which plays a nerve aside in its development for the next decades.

I am deeply attached to the vision that guides our plan and, with our teams, I will work with enthusiasm in its implementation, for the benefit of our customers and all Quebecers and Quebecersshe added.

Lubricating for its part the major sites that occupy the Crown Company, in particular the Entente with Newfoundland and Labrador and the development of wind turbines, the Prime Minister of Quebec said it was convinced that Claudine Bouchard has everything you need to direct Hydro-Québec in this new phase of its development.

We need solid leadership capable of delivering results. Claudine Bouchard knows the state -owned company very well. She has shown that she knows how to get things done, bring together the teams and carry out concrete transformationssaid François Legault in the same press release.

Loyal employee

Claudine Bouchard has been working for Hydro-Québec for over a quarter of a century. In addition to being vice -president in management as well as the operation and infrastructure, it is also CEO of the James Bay Energy Society.

Among her feats of arms, Ms. Bouchard can notably boast of having completed the construction of the Roman hydroelectric complex, inaugurated in 2022, while she was already vice-president responsible for a very large part of the operational activities of Hydro-Québec.

It is the first time since the promotion of Thierry Vandal, in 2005, that the Council of Ministers opted for an internal candidacy in order to direct the Crown Company. Éric Martel (Bombardier), Sophie Brochu (Energir) and Michael Sabia (Government of Canada) all came from external before being appointed.

Ms. Bouchard’s journey to Hydro-Québec dates back to the late 1990s. According to her profile LinkedInthe news CEO Has started his career in electrium, the Sainte-Julie electricity interpretation center. She also worked in a call center at the same time before climbing the ranks of the Crown Company one by one.

As CEOClaudine Bouchard will have the mandate to implement the Hydro-Québec Action 2035 action plan, which provides, among other things, the construction of new power plants.

His appointment occurs a few weeks after the adoption under gap of Bill 69 on the energy future of Quebec of the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Christine Fréchette.

Mrs. Bouchard’s journey is impressive. Few people know as much Hydro-Québec as its new CEOsaid Minister Fréchette by press release. I am very happy that Ms. Bouchard, a person who is both visionary and pragmatic, takes the lead of this great institution at a nerve aside of its development.

“Big shoes to put on”

According to Normand Mousseau, scientific director of the Trottier Energy Institute in Polytechnique Montréal, it is not surprising that Claudine Bouchard was chosen by the Legault government.

[Hydro-Québec] needs someone who is able to build and carry out major projects, and it is certainly the experience of Ms. Bouchard.

We especially chose someone who has experience to pilot the construction and management of infrastructureexplained Mr. Mousseau on the air by RDI. There are many vice-presidents in Hydro-Québec, but it was she who was responsible for these aspects, which are at the heart of the projects for the coming years.

The physics teacher maintains, however, that These are big shoes to put on. Coming from the inside of the box, can she brew the cage as much as someone like Sabia, who came from outside? wonders Mr. Mousseau.

The latter also points out that Claudine Bouchard will have to continue reconciliation efforts with the First Nations initiated by his predecessor.

It will also be able to reassure the population, because the projects will disturb. Hydro-Québec must keep the confidence of Quebecers throughout the territory, especially in the wake of Bill 69he adds.