The future of energy: Legault and Fitzgibbon are hard to follow

Will there be a major consultation on the decisive choices Quebec needs to make to ensure its energy supply? The more we listen to the Legault-Fitzgibbon duo, the less we know them. It might be time to tune in.

Since Sophie Brochu’s plan was presented a year and a half ago, we know that at least 100 TWh of additional energy will have to be found to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Already, fundamental questions are being asked about the best decisions to make to meet these growing needs.

Since then, the energy minister has been indicating even higher requirements, 150 TWh, maybe 200, but we have not yet fully realized the collective effort required for the first planned order.

In an interview at Cogeco this week, Francois Legault spoke about the need for national reflection on new dams and the increase in production from existing dams.

“We need to have a real social debate […] There should be a parliamentary commission and people should come and express their opinion,” announced the Prime Minister.

What contacts?

However, the autumn sequence has become more complicated to predict.

Hydro’s new boss, Michael Sabia, must first present a new strategic plan that sets out the needs and goals to be achieved.

Then, Minister Fitzgibbon will discuss a bill that would modulate companies’ rates based on the carbon footprint and economic benefits of their projects.

Does this important debate that the Prime Minister will address fall somewhere between these two important moments?

Pierre Fitzgibbon did not know.

He indicated that Mr. Sabia would come and answer questions from members of parliament at an unknown date this fall.

Are other groups invited as in a real consultation? “Look, I don’t know. Mr. Sabia will come and present his plan, I don’t know if there were any special hearings before,” quipped the super minister.

Disturbing

It is completely unreasonable that we are not better informed about how Quebecers can decide on these important questions.

The lack of sync between the Prime Minister and his Energy Minister is disconcerting.

An online consultation on the legal framework governing energy was originally held up to 1^er Last August.

A total of 119 briefs were submitted along with questionnaires completed by experts and citizens.

They will be available to the public “in the coming weeks,” the minister’s office said.

The two men were not on the same page from the start.

Before lining up behind the idea, promoted by Carrot, to operate the dishwasher at night, Legault first reconstructed the minister’s intentions.

We don’t yet know what changes in Quebecers’ behavior are needed.

But this item is not necessarily part of the bill to be introduced, we are told.

On nuclear power, even the uncertain tandem flew hot and cold out of sync.

In New York, Francois Legault said nuclear power is not in Quebec’s plans for now.

On Wednesday, as if in a game of Arabic telephone, Fitz wandered around the Blue Room and claimed his PM had said “no nuclear study”.

However, we all know that Hydro has initiated a study on the possibility of refurbishing the Gentilly-2 power plant.

They are hard to follow.