The agreement between Hydro-Québec and Énergir, which encourages the conversion of buildings to dual energy but will ensure that the bills of the state-owned company’s customers are raised, has been strongly denounced by the opposition parties.
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“It’s like imposing a tax on green electricity to support the use of natural gas!” pictured PQ MP Sylvain Gaudreault, during an interview with The newspaper.
The Régie de l’énergie is looking into a project this week that wants to encourage gas heating users to turn more to dual energy and electricity in order to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
But in return, Hydro-Quebec will pay its competitor compensation of $400 million, a large part of which will be taken from the pockets of the state corporation’s customers.
“You have to remember that Énergir is listed as a major emitter on the Carbon Market, so that means it will be reimbursed for its credits by Hydro customers, that doesn’t make sense,” thundered Mr. Gaudreault.
- Listen to Yves Daoust, director of the Silver section of the Montreal Journal and you Quebec newspaperon QUB radio:
Unacceptable, says QS
“This project is totally unacceptable. We should ban natural gas, we should have a timetable for withdrawal. There, we perpetuate the gas for several years, ”believes for her part Manon Massé, co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire.
Hydro-Quebec asserts on the contrary that the agreement minimizes the tariff impact, that it will make it possible to decarbonize the heating and to cross the critical period of the winter peaks.
But this reasoning does not hold water, believes Normand Mousseau, full professor of physics at the University of Montreal.
“The winter peak represents 80 hours per year. We stop moving for 80 hours! Hydro should develop technologies to manage the peak, but no, we sit on an easy solution, ”he believes.
Stunning, says a specialist
The latter has just published a report that aims to decarbonize buildings in Quebec. These are responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. Quebec wants to reduce GHGs in this sector by 50% by 2030.
“There are all kinds of smart ways to manage the winter peak. Hydro should be the locomotive and the strategy should be aligned with Quebec’s climate objectives. But no, Hydro says: “We will fail, we are a mere spectator, we will accompany the failure.” It overwhelms me,” laments Mr. Mousseau.
Quebec says let the Régie “do its analysis”, but believes that this is the best option. “The proposed partnership is one of the best solutions for reducing GHG emissions from buildings at the lowest cost,” indicated Geneviève Tremblay, press attaché to the Minister of Energy.
Hydro’s CEO, Sophie Brochu, is the former head of Gaz Métro, now Énergir. The newspaper reported last year that the boss had recused herself from any discussion with Énergir, in order to protect herself from any appearance of conflict of interest.
