Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to visit St. John’s on Monday to hold discussions with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham and Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette about an upcoming announcement concerning energy security and economic development.
Negotiations regarding a potential new agreement on Churchill Falls energy have intensified over the past week. Quebec’s Radio-Canada has confirmed Fréchette’s visit to Newfoundland to finalize a deal.
Wakeham’s office released a statement late Saturday evening confirming the attendance of Fréchette, Quebec’s Energy Minister Bernard Drainville, and Hydro-Québec’s president and CEO, Claudine Bouchard, at the meeting on Monday.
Hydro-Québec also issued a news release inviting reporters to a closed-door briefing on an announcement related to Quebec’s energy security, to be held on Monday at 11 a.m. The briefing will involve Dave Rhéaume, Hydro-Québec’s executive vice-president of energy and regulatory strategy.
Additionally, a media technical briefing is set to take place in Ottawa at 10:30 a.m. by Natural Resources Canada.
Few details have been disclosed by Wakeham’s office, except that the announcement is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. in St. John’s. The Prime Minister’s office confirmed late Sunday that Carney will also be in attendance.
Insider sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, have revealed some information about the new deal. It includes a guaranteed transmission access of 985 megawatts through Quebec, allowing Newfoundland and Labrador to sell up to that capacity to external markets. The agreement also promises a significant increase in electricity allocation for both provinces compared to the previous arrangement.
Under the new terms, Quebec may receive approximately 10,000 megawatts, while Newfoundland and Labrador could secure at least 2,350 megawatts, potentially increasing up to 3,000 megawatts.
To achieve the rise in electricity production, both parties have agreed to enhance the hydroelectric facility at Gull Island and boost the turbine capacity at the existing Churchill Falls plant. The updated agreement also encompasses wind power, a component absent from the prior 2024 memorandum of understanding.
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