The short answer is no.

But does Quebec’s position change when dealing with projects outside its borders?

On November 2, 2021, the state of Maine carried out what amounts to a referendum on the New England Clean Energy Connect project (NECEC), a one billion US$ transmission line project to bring green electricity from Quebec to Massachusetts.

Maine has a population of just under 1.4 million. A little more than 400,000 Mainers voted on the referendum, with 60% rejecting the NECEC. In other words, only 40% of voters supported the project.

The proponents and opponents of the NECEC spent nearly 100 million US$ combined to convince voters, with proponents outspending the opposition by a factor of two to one. Each side had plenty of time and the necessary resources to make its case to the people of Maine.

While the result of the vote raises many thorny legal questions, particularly as to the retroactive effect of laws, and is disappointing for Hydro-Québec and the fight against climate change, the outcome of the vote cannot be ignored. The NECEC is not currently socially acceptable in Maine. 

Whilst social acceptability may evolve in time, any changes to the project and Maine legislation to overturn the November 2 result would take a lot of time, and the outcome of any challenge to the referendum remains uncertain.

The better course of action would be for the promoters to obtain compensation from Maine and to then move on. Attempting to force a project, even an objectively good one from a climate change angle, on an unwilling population is not a win-win proposal and certainly not in the best long-term interest of Quebec. Three provinces and four US states share a border with Quebec and it is in Quebec’s best interest to be a respectful neighbour, trading partner and investor.

Hydro-Québec should now turn to its far better-structured New York state project, the 1,200 MW Champlain-Huron Power Express.

Hydro-Québec could even take a closer look at the New England Clean Power Link, but before it does, perhaps HQ and its shareholder should reconsider the case for exports and how such exports are made. For example, energy exports should, at the very least, meet Quebec’s own standards for such projects.

Also, the Quebec economy is doing well and its electrification over the next two to three decades will require vast quantities of electricity. Perhaps it would be better for the province to export less bulk electricity and keep more at home to meet increasing demand, and ensure that whatever electricity is exported is in the form of finished and semi-finished products.