At the start of 2024, Hydro-Québec announces the launch of preliminary studies for the rehabilitation of the spillway at the Carillon hydroelectric generating station, located on the Ottawa River between the municipalities of Pointe-Fortune and Saint-André-d'Argenteuil. The major project will officially begin in 2028.

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For the record, the power station's spillway was built between 1960 and 1963 and comprises 12 gates. The aim of the rehabilitation is to ensure the long-term operability of the structure and bring it into line with current standards. 

"We're at a very preliminary stage in the project, the pre-project phase. The aim of this phase is to initiate various studies that will enable us to choose the best rehabilitation scenario with the least impact on the environment. In concrete terms, teams dressed in orange may be visible in the vicinity of the power station for the duration of the pre-project studies," explains Philippe Cyr, Hydro-Québec's community relations manager for the Eastern Townships and Montérégie regions.

To carry out the preliminary studies, multidisciplinary teams will be called upon, including specialists in structures, hydraulics, mechanics, electrical equipment, geology, geotechnics, construction methods, the environment and health and safety.

Their work will identify sensitive elements, the impact of the work and the necessary mitigation measures, and assess the need for intervention on the embankment dikes in the vicinity of the development.As the Carillon power station has been in operation for more than 60 years, Hydro-Québec intends to take advantage of the preliminary project to gain a thorough understanding of the needs of the stakeholders concerned, and to examine the possibility of integrating the development more harmoniously into its environment.

A major project in financial terms 

Like the project to replace the generating units at Carillon power station, announced for October 2020, the rehabilitation of the spillway is a major project within the structure. 

"For the moment, it is difficult to confirm what budget will be required for the project, as the chosen scenario has not yet been determined. However, we can assume that it will be comparable to the budget envelope announced for the replacement of the generating units, i.e. around $750 million," adds Mr. Cyr. 

A long-term project 

What's the project timetable? It will take several years. In 2024, Hydro-Québec will hold public consultations to bring together residents living near the structure and the communities concerned, to inform them of the details of the project. In 2025, the Société d'État will unveil the chosen scenario. In 2026 and 2027, engineering work and government approvals will begin, so that construction can start in 2028. 

How long will the project last? " Once again, it's hard to say at this stage, since the preliminary project is just getting underway. On the other hand, the various scenarios being studied are stretching over five years or more," says Mr. Cyr. 

In any case, Hydro-Québec is keen to keep the public informed at every stage of the project. "For the time being, citizens who wish to do so can consult the page on the Carillon development rehabilitation project and tell us about their concerns, suggestions and needs by filling out the questionnaire available there. When the project is more advanced, public consultations may be held in the municipalities concerned to explain all the details of the project and exchange views with interested citizens, with a view to making optimal and socially acceptable decisions," continues Mr. Cyr. 

Kathy Langlois, Production Projects Manager, agrees. "Carillon was the first hydroelectric plant built by Hydro-Québec under the supervision of French-speaking engineers during the great nationalization of the 1960s.It's an infrastructure we're proud of, and we want this rehabilitation project to blend harmoniously into its surroundings," she asserts. 

Further details on the project are available via the Info-projets line at 1 877 653-1139 or at www.hydroquebec.com/projets/carillon.