Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to visit St. John’s on Monday for a meeting with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham and Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette. They will announce plans related to energy security and economic development. Discussions about a potential new agreement concerning Churchill Falls energy have intensified recently. Fréchette is set to travel to Newfoundland for the signing of this agreement, as confirmed by Radio-Canada.
A news release from Wakeham’s office revealed that Fréchette, Quebec’s Energy Minister Bernard Drainville, and Hydro-Québec’s CEO Claudine Bouchard will also be present at the meeting on Monday. Hydro-Québec separately announced a closed-door briefing on Quebec’s energy security, with the participation of its executive vice-president of energy and regulatory strategy and industrial activities, Dave Rhéaume.
Additionally, Natural Resources Canada announced a media technical briefing in Ottawa at 10:30 a.m. NT. The specifics of the announcement in St. John’s at 1:45 p.m. NT were not disclosed by Wakeham’s office initially, but later, the Prime Minister’s office confirmed Carney’s attendance.
The new agreement reportedly guarantees transmission access of 985 megawatts through Quebec, allowing Newfoundland and Labrador to sell up to that capacity to external markets. Sources indicate that both provinces will receive a significantly higher amount of electricity compared to the previous memorandum of understanding, with Quebec potentially receiving around 10,000 megawatts and Newfoundland and Labrador receiving between 2,350 to 3,000 megawatts.
To achieve the increased electricity production, the agreement includes the development of a more powerful hydroelectric facility at Gull Island and an expansion of the generating capacity at the existing Churchill Falls plant. Notably, the new agreement also incorporates wind power, which was not part of the previous agreement signed in 2024.
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