A worrying water level: the largest hydro-Québec tank is half empty

If Lady Nature is not generous this summer. Moreover, Hydro-Québec may well find herself literally dry with the huge canipiscau tank half-empty which could compromise the production of electricity.

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Since mid-June, the level of the largest tank in Hydro-Québec-Caniapiscau-attracts attention: it is filled with only 43% of its maximum capacity, after having bordered a floor of 34%.

This gigantic body of water located on the North Shore. Nevertheless, four times larger than Lake Saint-Jean, has not reached such a low threshold for more than 15 years. Moreover, And even if the melting of snow has enabled a slight recovery. Furthermore, the situation remains fragile, even disturbing, according to several experts.

The largest tank in Hydro-Québec, Canipiscau Photo Journal de Montréal

“The lower a tank, the more water it takes to produce the same amount of electricity. Similarly, So it empties even faster if we maintain the same level of electricity production. Moreover, It is a physical principle due to the height of falling. For example, And this vicious circle does not even depend on the weather. Consequently, it is self-calibrated, “warns Jean-Marc Pelletier, former Hydro-Québec engineer.

A cascade effect

According to him. the drop in the level of caniapiscau could have cascading effects, since worrying water level: largest hydro-québec this body of water acts as the main reservoir for the whole network of James.

An internal source confirms this pressure on hydroelectric power plants in James: “A little over a month ago. only 34% water left in Caniapiscau, just 14 feet before the bottom. And we always turbine at full speed. Laforge-1 was almost empty, LG-4 too. LG-2 was only holding a few feet. We exhaust our margins. I have friends pilot pilots who no longer dared to land on the tanks, ”she says.

Photo Journal de Montréal

“This level is not problematic for production, reassures Pascal Poinlane, media worrying water level: largest hydro-québec relations at Hydro-Québec. We manage our reservoirs in a careful way. ”

“The level is compared to that between 2005 and 2014 adds Lynn St-Laurent, spokesperson for the state-owned company. The spring flood was normal, and the level will continue to go up this summer. ”

Contracts in the United States at stake?

But caution remains in order.

“Caniapiscau is a multiannual reservoir, capable of damping dry years,” underlines François Bouffard, professor at McGill University. But if several difficult years are linked, tension rises. However, it should be remembered that in 2017-2018, it was the opposite, we had too much water. Today, we are missing. And that, the only Nature Lady can remedy it. “

Photo Journal de Montréal

Thus, it is Hydro-Québec’s energy strategy that is under pressure.

“With demand growth. export megactrates to New York and New England-20 TWh per year in December-, Hydro will have to make choices,” said the professor. There is a pressure at the moment on the tanks, we turbine a lot. The new CEO may want to arbitrate between local decarbonization and export commitments. ”

In 2024, Hydro has already struggled to honor its sales outside Quebec (only 15 TWH), for lack of sufficient hydraulic resources. The drought is such in the North that Hydro-Québec would have lacked current last year to deliver the electricity planned to the contracts concluded with New York. New England. The latter’s delivery is supposed to start in December.