Water in gas between Montreal and Hydro-Quebec

The state-owned company has warned that it will not be able to meet demand if the new regulations close the door on the dual-energy policy it advocates.

If we go with an all-electric logic (heating, big buildings, etc.), that will create huge demand. It is not realistic […] : There will be shortage of power lines and sub-stationswarned a representative at Hydro-Québec, Maxence Huard-Lefebvre.

On February 16, elected officials from the City of Montreal’s Water, Environment, Sustainable Development and Large Parks Commission recommended a ban. The sooner the sooner the better Any connection of new buildings to the natural gas network.

The commission will also recommend Phasing out of fossil fuel heating systems in existing buildings.

According to our sources, converting all of Montreal’s gas heating systems in the building to electricity would require an additional 4,500 megawatts (MW) of energy for Hydro-Québec.

It is an important energy source for the 23,000 megawatts of industrial supply requests on the table from Finance, Innovation and Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon. The latter is also responsible for the Metropolis and Montreal area.

The demand will be even higher if other municipalities decide to follow Montreal’s example. This is currently the case in Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Otterburn Parc, Petit-Saguen, Prévost and Saint-Cuthbert, which are asking the Quebec government to ban natural gas heating in all new construction.

Dual power at the heart of negotiations

The Commission de la Ville de Montréal recommended limiting the use of natural gas to only 15% in the case of dual energy. prime time.

However, with dual energy, 30% of residential consumers’ energy supply comes from gas and 70% from electricity.

According to Hydro-Québec, Without dual energy, it will not work for us.

” We warn the city of the consequences of the regulation not allowing the dual-energy offer to be implemented. »

The problem reminds Hydro-Québec of the winter peak, when cold temperatures increase demand and put pressure on the network.

Ongoing negotiations

In the city of Montreal, we are careful. We will take time to analyze all the recommendations and we will follow up on them in the coming months.Executive Committee Press Attaché, Mariekem Gaudreault explains.

” We will take the time to analyze them and this will also be done in collaboration with Hydro-Québec and Energir. »

The code has yet to be written, and the city may take a different path than the elected members of its commission.

A representative of the Montreal Executive Committee was pleased with the increased interest during the consultations.

We now see that the public consultation effort on our roadmap towards zero-emission buildings has succeeded, Ms. Gaudreault wrote. About fifty organizations, businesses and citizens participated in the reflection, which shows how important this file is to the people of Montreal.

A contribution is put to the test

In May 2022, the Mayor of Montreal, Valéry Plante, was pleased to announce the signing of a cooperation agreement with Hydro-Québec for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the construction sector.

I am particularly proud to announce this partnership that will benefit Montreal from our Crown Corporation’s immense expertise.said the mayor.

As important as it is to reduce the use of fossil fuels, it is important to do so at the best possible cost.CEO Sophie Brochu said.

The City of Montreal wants buildings built on its territory to be carbon neutral by 2040.

For Patrick Bonin, climate-energy campaign head at Greenpeace Canada, The recommendations by Montreal’s elected officials affirm the city’s leadership and highlight the fact that the Quebec government is sleeping on gas at a time when it should be regulating fossil fuels out of buildings..

$1 billion for GNR

In May 2022, Hydro-Québec and Energier received approval from the Régie de l’Energie to convert gas heating systems to dual energy to reduce greenhouse gases.

But this decision was appealed. Last week, the Régie changed its mind and would not allow Hydro-Québec to raise its rates to finance the contract with Énergir. The state corporation, however, says the partnership will go ahead but it will have to cut its profits.

Hydro estimates that dual energy will equate 540,000 tonnes of CO2 to GHGs in Quebec by 2030 and save about $1.7 billion compared to full electrification.

In brief, Hydro also sought the commission Follow the status quo to recognize renewable natural gas as an energy source that produces no GHG emissions.

Opponents of the dual-energy deal, including environmental and consumer groups, believe there are other ways to deal with winter peaks. They increasingly advocate the use of heat pumps and heat accumulators that allow the decarbonization of buildings.

I lament Hydro-Québec’s lack of ambition. Does liability to service apply only to manufacturers? And doesn’t this apply to decarbonisation? Hydro-Québec finds excuse after excuse not to decarbonize. Dual power is half the measureJean-Pierre Finet, Regrouping of Environmental Organizations in Energy (ROEE), opined in an interview with Radio-Canada.

Énergir has just signed a $1 billion partnership with Denmark’s Nature Energy to accelerate renewable natural gas (RNG) production in Quebec. According to the Quebec Gas Distributor, these facilities could reduce GHGs by 400,000 tonnes annually by 2030. Currently, Énergir has less than 1% RNG on its network.