Quebec Utility Targets 3 Gw Of Solar By 2035

Hydro-Quebec has announced plans to develop 11 GW of clean energy projects in Quebec, Canada, over the next decade, including 3 GW of new solar.

A consultation document available on the utility’s website says the cost of solar power in Quebec remains slightly higher than the cost of onshore wind power today, but is already very competitive compared to renewable natural gas, offshore wind and nuclear power.

The 3 GW target is described as “the equilibrium point at which it is possible to keep costs low, in particular by avoiding significant investment in the transportation network, while ensuring the social acceptability of this sector.”

It adds local communities have expressed great interest in solar projects. “We [want to] seize the opportunity to work on this sector with host communities and First Nations and Inuit who wish to do so,” explained Hydro-Quebec.

It said it will begin with an initial call for tenders to connect the first 300 MW of solar to its distribution network by 2029. This tender will target projects of up to 25 MW in size, which is nearly three times the installed capacity of existing farms in Quebec. It is anticipated larger-scale projects will follow.

The rollout will also support solar installations for self-production, with Hydro-Québec planning to offer financial aid to residential and business customers deploying solar from next year. A 2035 Action Plan also proposes increasing the permitted size of solar installations for self consumption from 50 kW to 1,000 kW. 

The total 11 GW target will be backed by CAD 10 billion ($11.2 billion) in investments by 2035, said Hydro-Québec. The utility claimed that the deployment will help customers lower their bills, support the economy by creating more than 5,000 new jobs across all regions of Quebec, and increase service reliability.

The rollout began with three core initiatives totaling CAD 2 billion in investments. These include a program to distribute Canadian smart thermostats to help residential customers manage winter peak consumption, the formation of an alliance of large building managers to implement best energy practices, and new technical and financial support to help industrial customers reduce operating and maintenance costs.

Canada installed 314 MW of solar in 2024, bringing its cumulative installed PV capacity to more than 5 GW.

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