Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to visit St. John’s on Monday to have discussions with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham and Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette about an upcoming announcement related to energy security and economic development.
Recent talks have intensified regarding a potential new agreement concerning Churchill Falls energy. Fréchette is confirmed to be traveling to Newfoundland by Radio-Canada to finalize the deal.
In a news release issued by Wakeham’s office on Saturday evening, it was disclosed that Fréchette, along with Quebec’s Energy Minister Bernard Drainville and Hydro-Québec’s president and CEO Claudine Bouchard, will be present at the meeting on Monday.
Hydro-Québec has also announced a closed-door briefing scheduled for Monday at 11 a.m., focusing on an announcement regarding Quebec’s energy security. The briefing will be conducted by Hydro-Québec’s executive vice-president of energy and regulatory strategy and industrial activities, Dave Rhéaume.
Additionally, a media technical briefing is planned in Ottawa at 10:30 a.m. by Natural Resources Canada.
The announcement, set to take place at 1:45 p.m. in St. John’s, is expected to have the presence of Prime Minister Carney as confirmed by his office on Sunday.
Reports from sources with insider information indicate that the new agreement will provide guaranteed transmission access of 985 megawatts through Quebec, allowing Newfoundland and Labrador to sell up to that capacity to external markets. The provinces are set to receive a substantially higher amount of electricity compared to the previous memorandum of understanding, with Quebec potentially receiving around 10,000 megawatts and Newfoundland and Labrador between 2,350 and 3,000 megawatts.
To achieve the increased electricity production, both parties have agreed to enhance the hydroelectric facility at Gull Island and boost the generating capacity of the turbines at the existing Churchill Falls plant. Notably, the new agreement includes provisions for wind power, unlike the previous MOU signed in 2024.
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