Is Now The Time For A Change Of Heart?Francois Legault still
'publically' says
'no' to nuclear power. But does he mean it? He also claims to hate fossil fuels (especially dirty Alberta Oil) due to its negative impact on climate change. Perhaps that makes, a lot more sense?
Is he a leader or follower with respect to societal change and social acceptance? What will soon become the best energy decision and strategy that he will need to make public?
Will the recent Hydro-Quebec (a crown corporation) move to build more windmill turbines and solar energy farms solve Quebec's future energy needs? Surely he doesn't want to appear to be stupid? Wouldn't he rather appear to be a very astute driving force of decision making well into the future?
Even with their substantial past commitment to hydro-electric power, according to Hydro-Quebec "
...the province will not have enough power to meet demand starting in 2027. By then, Quebec will need to add another 100 terawatts (TWh) to the grid — a 50 per cent increase — to attain the stated goal of carbon neutrality by 2050...Hydro’s current capacity is 210 TWh a year..." https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/premier-legault-and-delegates-inaugurate-romaine-hydro-complex Short term environmental solutions like wind turbines add very modestly to address these kind of concerns. Their token addition to the Quebec energy production (in a few thousands of megawatts) is miniscule in comparison to the energy production (terrawatts of energy) of hydro-electric dams.
But today Hydro-electric dams are facing considerable amounts of indigenous push back now that their concerns are so broadly impacting all levels of present day governmental decisions. Future dams destroy access to sacred indigenous lands. And today native leaders are now quite outspoken about the money that such projects would have to pay to affected native communities in the future. They will have to paid much more in compensation for their loss of land (billions not millions!)
"...Jean-Charles Pitacho, chief of the Innu community of Ekuanitshit, told a crowd of dignitaries including Premier Franois Legault, on hand for the inauguration of the massive Romaine hydro development complex on Quebec’s north shore, that their dreams came at a cost to his people and the road ahead won’t be simple... I want to recognize your (engineering) genius, but we also have our own geniuses in our nation. Our rivers, the forest, the mountains … they are our monuments — our monuments to protect...
...A veteran of talks between his people and the Quebec government, Pitacho said it’s true 78 per cent of the people in his nation approved the development ( Romaine hydroelectric dam in Havre-St-Pierre), which started in 2009. With hindsight, he added, there are other considerations to examine before any new projects can go ahead... ...He recalled a recent one-on-one meeting with Legault, who, he noted, was an accountant in his previous life. I know how to count, too,” Pitacho recalled telling the premier about future deals. “We’ll be counting in billions, not millions. This is how it’s going to be. So you need to rethink your models...”
Energy provided by newer hydro-electric projects (if they are acceptable to the indigenous community) is going to cost the industrial and domestic consumer in Quebec a lot more money in the future!
"...Mr. Sabia (president and CEO of Hydro-Quebec) is lining up partners and financial backers as he carries out a $185-billion strategy for new energy infrastructure that aims to wean Quebec off fossil fuels. Under the plan, Hydro-Qubec would spend up to $110-billion from now until 2035 on new clean-power generation facilities and another $50-billion to improve the reliability of its electrical grid. Additional operating expenses will make up the balance of the estimated spending.
Tripling wind power generation is a key part of the plan. Wind farms have been in place in corners of the province such as the Gasp peninsula and Quebec City region for years but Mr. Sabia wants to go bigger and faster with their development, and he’s changed Quebec’s tack on how to achieve that..."
Tripling wind power generation for a few extra thousand megawatts of additional energy? Give me a break! This is a publicity stunt for the benefit of the environmental lobby!
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-hydro-quebec-wind-farm-chamouchouane/
Hydro Quebec needs vastly more amounts of nearer term energy, especially now that they are exporting much of their current supply, south of the border to New York State (in the terrawatts of energy)!
"...Mr. Sabia sees three big opportunities to boost electricity volumes in the near term. First, while hunting for new hydroelectric development sites, the company will upgrade the turbines on existing hydro facilities to crank out more power. Next, it will triple wind power generation. And third, it will use less of the power already being generated by encouraging customers to increase energy efficiency..."
What? Energy customers aren't already aware of that? What nonsense! Give me another break!
"...Hydro-Qubec plans to produce more solar and battery power, and to launch a pumped-storage hydroelectric facility, which adds supply for use during peak demand periods. It’s also aiming to build 5,000 kilometres of new transmission lines. Over all, it will quicken the pace of capital investment to $16-billion per year, twice what was spent annually during the construction in the 1970s and 1980s of the James Bay hydropower stations..."
"...Mr. Sabia will need the co-operation of First Nations communities to execute his strategy because much of the planned infrastructure will likely cross their ancestral lands. The relationship between the utility and certain communities is heavily strained. To take just one example, the Innu of Labrador are suing the utility for $4-billion in damages from when their traditional territories were flooded to build reservoirs decades ago..."
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-hydro-quebec-begins-talks-for-185-billion-strategy-to-wean-the/
Does Hydro-Quebec really think these small remedial measures will be adequate to help address Quebec's more immediate energy needs? Of course not! They are only token measures designed to help keep an environmental lobby well at bay! But why do they appear to need to compromise on the more obvious need?
Would they choose to use natural gas to help address this kind of issue? But doesn't that fuel also leave behind a carbon footprint, even if smaller in amount, than oil?
They will need to to build more hydro-electric dams or re-commit themselves to a renewed nuclear energy plan. Even Francois Legault may soon wise up to this most obvious fact!
Isn't the nuclear solution the much easier one to address today with potentially a much greater social acceptance to most of the people? Aren't people more reasonable and rationale when the issue has been properly explained to them in the best possible way?
After all, nuclear energy is also clean in that it has always offered up a lower carbon footprint! Newer modular reactors cost less to constuct and older ones may be re-commissioned after a more modern refit!
Contemporary reactors of any scale are now better engineered to be safer! They do cost more to construct today. But when fewer social constrictions may now challenge their use, even reluctant politicians may decide that they provide the best longer term solution to a more immediate energy need!
Even major hydro dam projects cost terrific sums of money, take years to construct and often offend great numbers of affected persons who may later take legal action and sue! That costs enen more.
Today's native community wants their compensation up front with extra terms of payment to address the continuing needs of present and future generations!
For this native population, even the trees, forests, waterways and mountains are alive and living beings! And who can deny them this religious and historical view? How much will they charge Quebec society for the loss for much of their ancestoral heritage in this day and age, when so many societal decision makers, would choose to appear to be, politically correct?
Mining a valuable resource like uranium is also a very smart move! This is especially so when a provincial government may soon choose to recommit itself to the use of this same kind of fuel of this cleaner kind! Uranium is a valuable resource and it is kind to the environment and all different kinds of people!
It is possible that such a decision has already been made. It's just a matter of spending a little political capital in driving this reasonable point home to the populace that needs some continuing longer term reassurance! It isn't a gamble! It's a leadership matter! It comes with the job!
After all, the electorate isn't stupid. Just ask Justin Trudeau, now that he knows!
Perhaps Francois Legault sees some of this same kind of writing, on his wall?
He had better not wait too long to make a better decision!
And yeah I bought a few more shares of Rush Rare Metals on Friday.
It wasn't a lonely move! At least one right minded person made a similar decision.
In my opinion, buying more Rush Rare Metal shares is a most logical move to make!
And I don't mind any competition to get, well on board!
This company is going to find a huge resource!
Most of the discovery will be rare earth in nature.
But a lot will also be naturally sourced, uranium energy!
Canada and the rest of the world need a lot more of all of it!
What do you think? Sell out or buy into this story?
How much money do you want to make?
All the best! Java