James Bay Project

As James Bay Hydroelectric Project (French Projet de la Baie- James ) is called a group of nine hydroelectric power plants in the north of the Canadian province of Quebec. You are in the region Jamesie in the catchment area of the La Grande Rivière, a 893 km long river, in the James Bay (French Baie James ) flows. Since the 1970s, built the Société d' énergie de la Baie- James, a subsidiary of the state-owned power utility Hydro-Québec, nine power plants. These have an installed capacity of 16,527 MW together. Two other power plants are currently under construction and will be commissioned in 2012, bringing the total capacity will increase to 17,445 MW. The James Bay hydroelectric project thus generated almost half of the total electricity production in Quebec and exceeds such as those of Belgium.

• 3.1 Provision of basic infrastructure
• 3.2 Resistance of the Native
• 3.3 Construction of power plants and transmission lines
• 3.4 Labour Disputes

• 5.1 Nottaway - Broad back- Rupert ( NBR)
• 5.2 Grande Baleine

Geographical situation

The region around the James Bay, also known as Jamesie, covers an area of ​​350,000 km ² - bounded by the 49th and 55th northern latitude, the James Bay to the west and the watershed to the basin of the St. Lawrence River in the east. The terrain of the area is not very pronounced and can be divided into three regions: a 150- km wide coastal plain, a hilly plateau of maximum 400 meters above sea level and the Monts Otish Mountains in the east with between 900 and 1100 meters above sea level.

The area is part of the Canadian Shield and rests on a base of igneous and metamorphic rocks of Precambrian age. The erosion during the last glacial periods, the last of which was 6000 years ago, the terrain relief had a lasting influence. The retreating glaciers left deposits of sediments such as clay minerals, silt and sand. This also changed the river system of the area. The natural seismicity is low. On the other hand caused the filling of the reservoirs scattered minor earthquakes. So it was in 1983, an earthquake measuring 4 approximately 50 km north of the main dam of La Grande- third

The climate of the region is subarctic Jamesie. The winters are long and last on average from October 22 to May 4 The summers are short and mild, while it decreases with an average temperature of 13.6 ° C in July to -22.9 ° C in January. The annual rainfall is 765 mm, of which one-third in the form of snow. The most harmful it rains in summer, in winter, the height of the snow cover is 50 to 100 cm. The rainfall is significantly lower than, for example, in Montreal, where she is 1050 mm / year.

Planning history

Exploration

On behalf of the Shawinigan Water and Power Company ( SW & P), a team led by HM Finlayson 1950-1959 took hydrological investigations at Rivière Nottaway, at Rivière Broad Back and the Rivière Rupert ago ( together referred to as NBR). Among the options considered was the possible diversion of these rivers in the Rivière Saint- Maurice (and thus in the catchment area of the St. Lawrence River ) to increase the performance of the eight power plants located there the SW & P.

With the nationalization of several private companies in 1963, including the SW & P, the State Hydro-Québec became the property carried out by Finlayson preliminary inquiries of the hydroelectric potential of the rivers on James Bay. First, however, were other projects in the foreground, as they were easier and cheaper to implement. Hydro-Québec had the great potential of the rivers in the north for the time being unused and set a minimal resources. 1965 saw the research program of the company before exploring between the 52nd and 55th degree of north latitude, and hydrographic surveys in this area.

In 1967, Hydro-Québec intensified investigations at La Grande Rivière and the Rivière Eastmain. Dozens, hundreds of people were later brought into the inaccessible region with helicopters and seaplanes. There they conducted geodetic measurements and geological studies to identify suitable sites for possible hydroelectric power plants. Because of budget cuts to Hydro-Québec in late 1967 was forced to reduce the exploration activities significantly. Although these 1968-1970 only sporadically took place, the company maintained the planning and analysis work, since the data collected so far promised great potential for development.

" Project of the century"

Robert Bourassa, a deputy of the National Assembly of Quebec met in December 1969 with Roland Giroux, president of Hydro-Québec, for a working lunch. Bourassa, who then ran for the presidency of the Parti libéral du Québec, then was increasingly convinced that a major hydroelectric power project in the region Jamesie is feasible and desirable. A month later he was elected as the new Chairman of the Liberals. He made the expansion of hydropower become a central part of the subsequent campaign. In April 1970, the Liberals won their elections to the National Assembly for itself.

Presented for the earlier economists and new Premier Bourassa the James Bay hydroelectric project, the solution of two problems dar. In his 1985 essay published in L' énergie du Nord ( "The energy of the north" ), he stated that the economic development of Québec on ​​the natural resource development is based. Moreover, he had in 1969 hired the calculation, that the demand for electricity will outstrip supply by 11,000 MW by 1983. This assessment was consistent with predictions that Hydro-Québec had made at that time. Six months after the election Bourassa began along with his advisor Paul Desrochers to work on the details. After they had informed the management of Hydro-Québec on ​​the date in September 1970, he traveled in the midst of the October Crisis to New York to conduct negotiations on the financing of the project.

Bourassa introduced in March 1971 its plan to the Cabinet and recommended to transfer the coordination of the construction work of the U.S. Bechtel Corporation. The date of the public notice, the government chose the April 30, 1971, the anniversary of the assumption of office as place a party meeting at the Petit Colisee in Quebec the provincial capital. 5000 attendees ago promised Bourassa, the " project of the century" ( projet du siècle ) would create 100,000 jobs. According to reports from journalists, the Assembly should have gone with " scenes of indescribable enthusiasm " to the end.

Resistance of the nuclear lobby

Immediately thereafter, voices were raised against the project. For several years, a lobby was active, which advocated the promotion of nuclear energy. It included representatives of the Federal Government, the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and itself first came into appearance by Hydro-Québec it was in 1965, after the provincial government had decided to invest in Falls hydroelectric power plant Churchill. Various high-ranking representatives of the opposition Parti Québécois also spoke out against Bourassas project.

The management of Hydro-Québec held an iron grip on the hydropower project. President Roland Giroux argued, major international investors were " opposed to nuclear energy still skeptical. When we present them a good hydropower project, and Baie- James is one, then we will soon see where their priorities lie. " Engineer Robert A. Boyd pointed to the uncertainty with which the nuclear energy was then confronted. He recommended to maintain a certain degree of expertise in this area, but was in favor of postponing the construction of nuclear power plants as long as possible.

Bourassa received unexpected help protect, Alexei Kosygin as Minister of the Soviet Union, visited Montreal in October 1971. Kosygin praised the project and expressed concerns about the nuclear program of its own country. The Soviet Union had to develop this technology, as the country did not have enough suitable rivers to build sufficient hydroelectric power plants and dams. The nuclear lobby lost its influence. Bourassa wrote in 1985 in L' énergie du Nord, in December 1969, the studies have clearly shown that the hydropower economical than nuclear energy is.

Influence of Hydro-Québec

On June 23, 1971, the government introduced a bill which provided for the creation of the Société de développement de la Baie James ( SDBJ ). Modeled after the Tennessee Valley Authority should plan and implement the economic development of the region Jamesie. Bourassa was convinced that the construction work would be carried out by private companies, and that Hydro-Québec should hold only a minority interest. He distrusted the influential state-owned enterprise, which had risen in the 1960s to become the leading companies in Québec. The historian Paul -André Linteau writes, Hydro-Québec was then, as a " state within a state " occurred.

The company management struggled against being deported into second place, and practiced in turn influence policy makers and media. A leadership role of the company is necessary in order to gain the confidence of the financial markets. The efforts bore fruit, as the chairmen of two opposition parties and the publisher of Le Devoir criticizing the government, whether it was really necessary to create a "second Hydro" to open up the rivers of the north. After a lively debate, the National Assembly adopted on 14 July 1971, the Law 50, which called on the SDBJ into life and they charged with the development of the 350,000 km ² of territory between the 49th and 55th parallels.

At the insistence of the opposition the government a majority stake of Hydro-Québec had agreed. However, the company wanted in the implementation of the James Bay project have a free hand and continued to practice from pressure. On 21 December 1971, the government created as a subsidiary of Société d' énergie SDBJ additionally de la Baie James ( SEBJ ), responsible for the project planning and construction of the hydroelectric power plants. Hydro-Québec was the majority shareholder and took complete control in 1978; since the SEBJ is a 100 percent subsidiary.

Siting

The question remained open, should be implemented at which location of the project, the NBR - flow system or on the La Grande Rivière. In October 1970, Hydro-Québec commissioned the engineering company Rousseau Sauvé Warren ( RSW) and Asselin, Benoit, Boucher, Ducharme et Lapointe ( ABBDL ) to prepare a report within six months. Although both reports came to the conclusion that both sites are suitable, but they were in disagreement about the better solution. RSW suggested the La Grande Rivière, while ABBDL spoke out for the further south NBR river system. New studies in 1971 concluded from the NBR project because of the loamy soil of this region prepare additional technical difficulties.

The determination of the La Grande Rivière was announced in May 1972. Intended were four power plants on this river as well as the diversion of the Rivière Caniapiscau, the Rivière Opinaca and the Rivière Eastmain in the catchment area of ​​the Grande Rivière, whereby its runoff at the mouth would double. In January 1974, the publication of detailed studies followed. According to those involved, the project has a catchment area of 177,430 km ² and four power plants with a total capacity of 10,190 MW, which would produce 67.8 TWh at an efficiency of 80%. In the following years, the project experienced several times in 1978 the adjustments and divided it into two implementation phases.

Implementation of the first phase

Creation of basic infrastructure

Thus, in the almost deserted area at all a project of this magnitude could be realized, creating a basic infrastructure was necessary. Only about newly constructed access roads, the heavy machines could get for the power plant construction to the desired locations. In June 1971 began in the mining town of Matagami, 620 km south of La Grande Rivière, the construction of the Route de la Baie James. The contract for this trunk road and a branch to Fort George on the coast of James Bay, the company received Desjardins, Sauriol et Associés. The appointed time was exceptionally short 450 miles ( 750 km ) in 450 days.

Surveyor established a practice route, whereupon lumberjack freely acknowledged this by trees. In parallel, an ice road was established to transport construction material and machinery to the north. A first milestone was the opening of a bridge over the Rivière Rupert on 11 February 1972. In December 1972 reached the temporary road the Grande Rivière. The definitive road was officially opened on 20 October 1974. She was initially graveled and received in the two following years a blacktop. The cost of the road amounted to 348 million Canadian dollars. To accommodate the many construction workers and employees with their families was issued in 1974, the settlement Radisson. 1981 followed the route Transtaïga for developing sites in the east of the project area.

Resistance of the Native

The approximately 5,000 living in the region Jamesie Cree used the traditional territory for hunting, fishing and trapping. For the Baie- James - project planning their needs and demands had been largely ignored. It suggested increasing resistance, even in the 3500 Inuit who lived further north, as well as environmental organizations. The indigenous people were convinced that the provincial government violated an agreement dating back to 1912, by unlawfully undertook expropriations and allowed the destruction of traditional hunting and fishing grounds. In addition, the indigenous people were only informed about the true scale of the project, as the construction of the Route de la Baie James had already begun.

The Cree secured the support of Jean Chrétien, the federal Minister of Indian Affairs, who financed their appeal in court. In November 1973 their sheer available by the Supreme Court of Quebec, which led to a temporary halt to construction. Although the Supreme Court of Canada overturned the injunction again, but the provincial government had no other choice but to negotiate with the indigenous people. After nearly two years of negotiations, the governments of Quebec and Canada, the SEBJ and the Grand Council of the Cree signed on 11 November 1975, the agreement of the James Bay and Quebec North. The agreement, which also houses the Inuit and three years later joined the Naskapi, secured the affected Indigenous financial compensation, recognition of land rights, the establishment of health and educational institutions, and self-government in their settlements.

Construction of power plants and transmission lines

In May 1973, construction began at the power station La Grande -2, which lasted until October 1979. The commissioning took place in stages until December 1981. In October 1996, the power plant, the dam and its associated reservoir were renamed in honor of Robert Bourassa, two weeks after his death. The power plant Robert - Bourassa is located 117 km from the mouth of the Grande Rivière away. It is with a capacity of 5616 MW by far the largest power plant in Quebec and is the heart of the Baie- James - project.

238 kilometers away from the mouth was 1978-1983, the power plant La Grande- 3, which produces an output of 2417 MW. In the years 1978 to 1984 the power station La Grande -4 was built. It is located 463 kilometers away from the mouth and produces an output of 2779 MW. To the newly built power plants carry more water, the further south running Rivière Eastmain has been redirected. To disem purpose damming on the Réservoir Opinaca before the mouth of the Rivière Opinaca. The majority of the water from these two rivers flowing in since the Réservoir Robert - Bourassa. Another diversion project concerned the Rivière Caniapiscau at the headwaters of the La Grande complex. The river was dammed from 1981 to 1985, whereby the Caniapiscau Reservoir was built, with an area of ​​4318 km standing waters in Quebec and the second largest reservoir in Canada ² the largest. The water has since been mostly diverted into the Rivière Laforge, a tributary of the Grande Rivière.

The distance between the plants of the James Bay project and the main customers in the south of the province of Quebec is several hundred kilometers. In order to transport the electricity produced to the consumers, so the construction of an extensive network of substations and power lines was necessary. The basic network comprised of five lines with a voltage of 735 kV and a length of about 5300 km. Later a sixth line was added of 957 km in length. The Radisson substation is also the starting point of the HVDC Quebec- New England, a 450 - kV high- voltage direct current transmission line that leads into the near Boston in Massachusetts and the export of electricity used.

Labor disputes

From 1977 to 1981, the peak of construction activities, 14000-18000 workers were employed at different sites of the James Bay project. Hydro-Québec had made in the past bad experiences with strikes, which had proved costly. Therefore, the management was looking for ways to get labor peace. With various collective agreements they wanted to offer a wage index for the next ten years; in return, the trade unions should give up their right to strike. 1972, negotiations began between the provincial government, Hydro-Québec and the Fédération des travailleurs du Québec ( FTQ ), that union which represented the majority of the workers. The negotiations stalled when the FTQ introduced the requirement to be able to make appointments with their own exclusive employment agencies. Hydro-Québec did not accept this and wanted to continue this task of allowing the national job placement offices. The negotiations ended on August 22, 1973 finally inconclusive, as the FTQ refused to sign the contract and insisted on their right to strike.

Disputes between members of the FTQ and the competing union Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) culminated on 21 March 1974 in saccage de la Baie James ( "plundering on James Bay "). At the construction site of the power station La Grande -2 stole a FTQ functionary a bulldozer. He destroyed so that a caravan and a dormitory, separated the water lines, tipped the three generators to in the working class neighborhood and triggered by the overturning of fuel tanks from a fire. Overall, the amount of damage caused amounted to $ 30 million. The destruction of the camp forced the SEBJ to evacuate the workers within 48 hours by plane. 70 people were left to limit the damage. After 55 days, the construction work could be resumed on May 8, 1974. Back in March, the provincial government put a non-partisan commission of inquiry under the chairmanship of Judge Robert Cliche, the lower the later Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney belonged. The Commission, which presented its final report in May 1975, revealed close involvement of organized crime in labor unions and construction companies.

Implementation of the second phase

Several factors contributed to the fact that Hydro-Québec decided to divide the construction of the La Grande complex in two phases. Example Weis were the Cree in 1975 signed agreements of James Bay and Quebec North enforce the claim that the location of the power station La Grande- 1 was shifted by 34 kilometers upstream, what a complete redesign necessitated. The impact of the oil crisis, fluctuations in aggregate demand, inflation and the exchange rate of the Canadian dollar added a element of instability, making it difficult to predict the demand of electricity.

The second phase was 1987-1996, when five more power plants were switched to La Grande -1 ( 1436 MW ), La Grande -2-A ( 2106 MW), Laforge -1 ( 878 MW), Laforge -2 ( 319 MW ) and Brisay ( 469 MW). The signing of the " peace warrior " ( Paix des braves ), who assured the natives of other rights and financial compensation, was the starting point to another Power Plants, which are informally referred to as the " third phase ". First, the power plant East Main -1 was put into operation in 2006. Under construction are currently two power plants, Eastmain -1-A ( 768 MW) and Sarcelle (150 MW), combined with a partial diversion of the Rivière Rupert. The work should be completed in the course of 2012.

Not realized subprojects

Nottaway - Broad back- Rupert ( NBR)

The development of the NBR river system had been set aside in favor of the 1971 Grande Rivière. The construction of power plants in this area, however, was in 1975 left open in Section 8 of the Agreement, the James Bay and Northern Quebec of as a possibility. It provided for the establishment of a dozen power plants with an installed capacity of 8,000 MW and an annual production of 53 TWh. At Rivière Rupert nine dams were provided, as well as the diversion of the Rivière Eastmain in the Rivière Rupert. The Mistassinisee, the largest natural lake in Québec, would have been transformed into a reservoir.

An additional study in 1976 provided for a different variant. The Rivière Rupert and the Rivière Nottaway According to this would have been diverted into the Rivière Broad back; eleven power plants with a capacity of 8700 MW would have produced 46.5 TWh of energy annually. 1990 Hydro-Québec attacked the project back on, with seven dams on the Broad back and two on the upper reaches of the Rupert. In 2002, the NBR project was finally abandoned in favor of the diversion of the Rupert River in the catchment area of ​​the Grande Rivière.

Grande Baleine

During the implementation of the second phase of the James Bay project, the provincial government and Hydro-Québec made ​​in December 1985 its intention to want to build three new hydropower plants in the region Nunavik at the Grande rivière de la Baleine. In addition, should two smaller rivers, the Petite rivière de la Baleine and the Rivière Coast, will be redirected to the Grande rivière de la Baleine. This four new reservoirs would have been incurred with an area of ​​1667 km ² together.

The operation led immediately from violent resistance. The Cree filed at the provincial and federal lawsuits in order to prevent the construction, as well as in several U.S. states to stop electricity exports there. They brought the federal government to carry out an environmental and received support from the U.S. environmental organizations. In addition, they launched in the United States and in Europe, a PR campaign, in which they attacked the Grande- Baleine project, Hydro-Québec and Québec in general. Since the campaign was conducted aggressive and comes just months after the Oka crisis and the failure of Meech Lake Accord, this had the effect that various environmental groups in Quebec distanced from the Cree. The environmentalist David Cliche compared the actions of individual American organizations with " environmental colonialism ". The project opponents achieved in upstate New York a success, as the New York Power Authority in March 1994 announced a four-year pre-agreed contract with Hydro-Québec in the amount of five billion U.S. dollars. In November 1994, Prime Minister Jacques Parizeau was of the Parti Québécois, the suspension of the Grande- Baleine project known and explained that it was not necessary for meeting the energy needs of Québec.

Overview of the power plants

The following power plants of the James Bay hydroelectric project have been taken up to now in operation: