Hydro Québec launches new wind power call for tenders based on Québec content and social acceptability

Montréal — To meet the sustained growth in electricity demand, Hydro-Québec has launched a new call for tenders for wind energy procurement. Bidders must satisfy more robust criteria designed to maximize economic benefits for Québec and ensure that projects are harmoniously integrated into their host environments. Depending on the competitiveness of the bids and their level of social acceptability, the tender will target 5 to 10 TWh, equivalent to 1,500 to 3,000 MW of installed capacity.

With the greater emphasis on Québec content, bids must highlight local economic benefits, investments made in the province, and the use of local wind energy industry expertise.

Social acceptability remains a key criterion in the call for tenders and is reflected through enhanced requirements intended to promote better integration into the communities concerned, including the following:

• Hydro-Québec will prioritize projects developed in partnership with First Nations and host communities to foster active community participation and sustainable local benefits.
• Projects must have clear support from the municipalities involved and demonstrate a seamless integration in their surroundings.
• Public consultations must be conducted prior to bid submission, and prospective developers must show how the concerns raised have been addressed.
• In addition to agreements negotiated with landowners, developers will be required to make an annual financial contribution to the local authorities of the area in question.

Farmland protection: A new agreement with the UPA

Hydro‑Québec and the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) have reached an agreement in principle to better oversee wind power development and strengthen the protection of agricultural and forestry environments in Québec. This comes at a time when preserving farmland remains a priority and the concerns of the agricultural community must be addressed.

The agreement notably includes updates to the Terms of Reference for the Siting of Wind Farms on Farmland and in Woodlands, including maple stands. It also entails an adjustment to the weighting table used to assess bids in the next call for tenders to favour sites that minimize the use of higher-quality land. Hydro-Québec also confirms its support for the UPA fund to promote the long-term sustainability of the agricultural sector in the agreement.

The current call for tenders will be conducted in three rounds to give developers and local communities more leeway for public consultations and to propose developments that take local realities into account. Shortlisted projects will aim for commissioning between 2031 and 2038. For the first round, proposed projects must be located within the technical zones shown on this map (in french) to allow for connection between 2031 and 2035. Only projects supported by a resolution from the municipalities concerned may be realized.

All bids submitted in response to this call for tenders must meet long-term supply needs at the best possible cost, while promoting socio-economic benefits in the host communities and minimizing the impacts on farmland.

The bid submission deadline for the first round of projects is February 26, 2027.

Public consultations from the very start

To inform the preparation of the call for tenders, Hydro‑Québec conducted preliminary public consultations. This process yielded numerous comments and suggestions that helped refine the bidding terms and conditions, particularly regarding Québec content, social acceptability, and the clarity of requirements for developers.