March 4, 2015 – Hydro-Quebec Distribution issued a call for tenders today for the purchase of 500 MW of firm capacity and associated energy.

The electricity, which Hydro-Quebec Distribution will buy, must be available for a minimum of 300 hours, mainly in winter months. The contracts will be over a twenty-year period, starting on the date the deliveries begin.

The power must be available and guaranteed as of December 1, 2018, said Hydro-Quebec. A bidder may submit a proposal with deliveries starting after this date, by December 1, 2019 at the latest. However, the company said it will give priority to bidders whose guaranteed delivery dates begin on December 1, 2018.

Hydro-Quebec is required, under the Hydro-Quebec Act, to supply a base volume of up to 165 TWh a year of heritage pool electricity for the Quebec market, as set out in the Act respecting the Régie de l’énergie. To meet needs in excess of the heritage pool, the Act obliges Hydro-Quebec Distribution to issue tender calls for the purchase of electricity open to all interested bidders, including Hydro-Quebec Production.

Hydro-Quebec Distribution noted it has retained the services of Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton to help throughout the tendering process, analyze received bids and to act as its official representative.

The deadline for submitting bids is May 20, 2015. The call for tenders document, the registration form for the pre-bid conference, the registration for call for tenders form and the bid form are available on the Hydro-Quebec Distribution website.