Young student, Claudine Bouchard wanted to become a scientific popularizer. This dream, she realized it as soon as her baccalaureate in science is obtained at the University of Montreal, in 1997, by becoming a guide-animator at the Electricity Interpretation Center of Hydro-Québec, Electric, in Sainte-Julie.
Who would then have doubted that with this “summer job”, she crossed the door which would allow her, 28 years later, to become the CEO of the most important Quebec state society and to hold, by the very fact, the reins of the energy transition of the province? Certainly, not the main interested party: “There are many who have career plans. Not me. »»
This follower of bicycle and triathlon, which spent his childhood in Lasalle and in the small municipality of Acadia, today Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, within a “very modest family”, was able to quickly climb the ladder of Hydro-Québec. It was after the 1998 ice crisis that she obtained the first in a long series of promotions by becoming responsible for the interpretation center where she was previously a guide-animator.
Subsequently, after having been chief of relations with circles and the environment for three years, in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, she held several management positions with internal communications. “As soon as I started managing teams, which guided my professional career is optimization,” she says.
This ability to “do more with less” quickly became a trademark which allowed it to be noticed and drafted in operations. “At the beginning, I was given mandates and, over the years, it allowed me to obtain specific positions. »»
In 2020, after three years as vice-president of the distribution network, she took up the bar-in close collaboration with the CEO of then Sophie Brochu-of significant restructuring at Hydro-Québec by integrating into an entity the three divisions which then make up the company.
“Place to grow”
His appointment at the head of Hydro-Québec this week occurred less than a month after the surprise announcement of Michael Sabia. She defends herself from having been appointed to execute the match plan for her predecessor.
Photo Denis Germain, special collaboration
The new CEO of Hydro-Québec, Claudine Bouchard
I do not register in someone else’s vision, neither that of Michael Sabia nor that of the government; I register in the vision of what Hydro-Québec must do for Quebec.
Claudine Bouchard, CEO of Hydro-Québec
Because the world changes quickly, she says. And Hydro-Québec must have flexibility to evolve according to changing contexts. “We were lucky to have visionary people 75 years ago; This means that today we have green electrons and renewable energy at very low cost, “she says, recalling in stride that 50 % of the energy consumed in Quebec is a fossil source.
“There is room to grow and create opportunities,” said Mr.me Bouchard, who fully adheres to Action plan 2035: towards a Quebec decarbon and prosperous of his predecessor. This plan provides massive investments to increase the capacity to produce electricity from renewable sources.
In the long term, by 2050, Hydro-Québec should have doubled its production capacity. “The desire to double capacity is a very long -term vision. There are a lot of things that will happen by then. For me, the emphasis is really placed on the achievements projected for 2035. ”
Photo Edouard Plante-Fréchette, the press archives
Bernard-Landry power plant on the east coast of James Bay
Can Hydro-Québec really achieve the set objectives? “It’s ambitious, but it’s achievable,” she replies from Tac to Tac. She believes that Hydro-Québec must remain flexible as to the means to increase its production capacity. It cites the example of hydraulic power plants with a Pompey reserve, installations that pump water leaving the turbines to reuse it. “We said that we would do one, but as needed, maybe we could do two or simply promote another technology. You have to move forward according to the best projects. »»
“Collaborative contracts” with the private sector
The return of major projects, both for new hydroelectric power plants and for wind farms-which will have to add 10,000 MW to the network by 2035-, Hydro-Québec pushes to change its development model, is suitable for Claudine Bouchard.
We want to work jointly upstream by sharing our expertise with great manufacturers with whom we do business and who have experience around the world. This would allow us to develop the most profitable projects for Quebec as quickly as possible.
Claudine Bouchard, CEO of Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec recently published a notice of interest for the “major players” of engineering to carry out new hydroelectric and wind projects. Mme Bouchard repeats that it is not an open door to any privatization of Hydro-Québec, because the Crown Company will remain project manager.
These “collaborative contracts” with the private sector allow both internal developed expertise, but also from that of the private sector, from the start of projects. “Rather than arriving at the end of a project and exchanging plans for weeks, from the start, the expertise of Hydro-Québec and those of the external make engineering of details together. »»
“We need Hydro-Québec to become more modern and more agile,” she said. Mme Bouchard intends to engage society further in the path of artificial intelligence technologies. “It would allow us to optimize the use of assets to avoid building it. How do we integrate these technologies from Hydro-Québec which allow us to have data to the minute on consumption and needs for electricity transport? »»
