Hydro-Québec seeking input on linking its grid with proposed Nova Scotia wind farms

A Hydro-Québec logo is seen on their head office building in Montreal, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

HALIFAX — Energy officials in Nova Scotia say a major proposed wind energy project off the province’s coast can help Quebec’s provincially owned power utility remain a key player in the North American energy market as demand soars.

Hydro-Quebec said Wednesday it has issued a formal request for information from energy developers to help it determine timelines and costs for building transmission lines and other technologies to potentially connect to Nova Scotia’s offshore wind sector.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has proposed a $60-billion project called Wind West, which he has said could generate up to five Gigawatts of electricity by 2033 in its first phase, and more than 40 Gigawatts by 2050 if additional phases are completed. A formal call for companies interested in building the project is expected in the coming months.

Hydro-Quebec’s request does not commit it to making any investments at this point.

The utility released a statement indicating that it could use Nova Scotia’s offshore energy to help balance other power grids. Hydro-Quebec has 16 interconnections with neighbouring jurisdictions and says this allows it to occupy a strategic position at the heart of the region’s major energy corridors.

David Miller, Nova Scotia’s executive director of energy planning, says customers are demanding more electricity at a time when Quebec has reported less water in its reservoirs due to a three-year drought.

“That has significantly reduced their ability to market energy outside the province, which is an important economic driver in Quebec,” Miller said in an interview Wednesday.

“So this, combined with the other power work that they’re doing, whether that’s their own onshore wind … or the potential revisions to the (Churchill Falls) contract with Newfoundland and Labrador, I think all play into Hydro-Quebec being a key player in the power market in northeastern North America.”

This winter, Hydro-Quebec had to temporarily suspend energy exports to Massachusetts just one week after inaugurating its new transmission line due to extreme cold and a surge in domestic demand. The company’s bid was selected to supply 9.45 Terawatt hours per year to the state over a 20‑year period, under a deal signed in 2018. The total revenues from the contract are estimated at $16 billion.

The Quebec utility’s action plan for 2035, released about two years ago, commits it to explore all potential energy sources, including offshore wind generation. It says growing demand will require investments between $90 billion and $110 billion by the middle of next decade.

Hydro-Quebec says examining its ties with neighbouring provinces is part of a broader strategy aimed at improving regional energy systems, though development in Quebec remains its priority.

“There’s an opportunity right now, given the context in Nova Scotia and the initiatives that are put forth,” Hydro-Quebec spokesperson Lynn St-Laurent said in an interview Wednesday.

“We want to look at this … see how we could take advantage of this opportunity, how we could integrate something like this into Hydro-Quebec’s system.”

St-Laurent said the utility will analyze the data and hopes to have a strategy in place by the fall. She said the company has experience in long-distance transmission projects, where it could play a role.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says the province’s plans for Wind West require getting that electricity to markets beyond the province.

“Early interest from large potential buyers helps reduce market uncertainty for developers and investors,” Houston said in a statement. “This strengthens the business case for projects and increases confidence that Nova Scotia’s offshore wind industry can move forward at scale.”

Officials said no decision has been made on possible transmission corridors. An overland route through New Brunswick or a subsea cable are both options.

Quebec is the second power-hungry jurisdiction to show interest in Nova Scotia’s offshore. Last month, Nova Scotia and Massachusetts reached a memorandum of understanding committing the two governments to work together and share expertise as they develop their respective offshore wind sectors.

Miller said Wednesday Nova Scotia is also in talks with officials in New York, and that other states in the northeast are potential customers as well.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has said the federal government is prepared to work with Nova Scotia to accelerate the development of Wind West.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.

By Devin Stevens