Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham and Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette will convene in St. John’s on Monday to make a significant announcement concerning energy security and economic development. Recent discussions surrounding a fresh agreement on Churchill Falls energy have escalated, with insider sources hinting at a potential deal being finalized this week. Radio-Canada has verified that Fréchette is en route to Newfoundland to formalize the agreement on Monday.
The confirmation came from Wakeham’s office in a press release issued after 7:30 p.m. NT on Saturday, revealing Fréchette’s attendance alongside Quebec’s Energy Minister Bernard Drainville and Hydro-Québec’s President and CEO, Claudine Bouchard, at the event scheduled for 1:45 p.m. NT in St. John’s. While specific details remain scarce, insider sources, not authorized to speak publicly, have disclosed key elements of the new deal.
Reportedly, the agreement guarantees transmission access of 985 megawatts through Quebec, enabling Newfoundland and Labrador to sell up to that capacity to external markets. Furthermore, both provinces are expected to receive a substantially greater share of electricity compared to the previous understanding, with Quebec potentially receiving around 10,000 megawatts and Newfoundland and Labrador securing at least 2,350 megawatts, potentially rising to 3,000 megawatts.
To achieve this surge in electricity production, the agreement includes plans for an enhanced hydroelectric facility at Gull Island and an increased turbine capacity at the existing Churchill Falls plant. Notably, the new deal incorporates wind power, a component absent from the 2024 memorandum of understanding signed by former Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey and former Quebec Premier François Legault.