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 to make an announcement regarding energy security and economic development. Discussions about a new agreement concerning Churchill Falls energy have intensified recently, with Fréchette set to travel to Newfoundland for the signing of the deal. Wakeham’s office released a statement confirming the attendance of Fréchette, Quebec’s Energy Minister Bernard Drainville, and Hydro-Québec’s president and CEO Claudine Bouchard at the event on Monday.
Hydro-Québec also issued a press release inviting journalists to a closed-door briefing on an announcement related to Quebec’s energy security, to be held on Monday at 11 a.m. Dave Rhéaume, Hydro-Québec’s executive vice-president, will lead the session. Additionally, a media technical briefing is scheduled in Ottawa at 10:30 a.m. by Natural Resources Canada.
While specific details are scarce, the announcement is confirmed to take place at 1:45 p.m. in St. John’s. The Prime Minister’s office announced that Carney will also be in attendance. The new agreement reportedly guarantees a transmission access of 985 megawatts through Quebec, allowing Newfoundland and Labrador to sell up to that amount to external markets. Sources suggest that both provinces will receive a substantial increase in electricity compared to the previous agreement, with Quebec potentially receiving around 10,000 megawatts and Newfoundland and Labrador receiving between 2,350 and 3,000 megawatts.
To achieve this boost in electricity generation, both parties have agreed to enhance the hydroelectric facility at Gull Island and increase the turbine capacity at the existing Churchill Falls plant. The updated agreement also includes the integration of wind power, a new addition not present in the previous memorandum signed in 2024.