Boralex Inc. and Énergir Inc. announced the development of three wind farm projects of 400 MW each for a total of 1,200 MW and the related negotiations to form a joint venture with Hydro-Québec. Upon completion, these projects will together represent the biggest wind farm project in Canada and one of the biggest onshore wind farm projects in the world.
This was a very novel transaction as it is the first joint venture for Hydro-Québec in the wind sector and it included the negotiation of bilateral PPAs (which occurs very rarely in Québec). This transaction was negotiated between the parties during a period of over two years.
More specifically, the following projects are proposed:
- Des Neiges Wind Farm – South, in the RCM of La Côte-de-Beaupré (400 MW);
- Des Neiges Wind Farm – Charlevoix, in the RCM of Charlevoix (400 MW); and
- Des Neiges Wind Farm – West, in the RCM of La Côte-de-Beaupré and potentially in the municipality of Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury in the RCM of La Jacques-Cartier (400 MW).
Stikeman Elliott acted as legal counsel to Boralex and Énergir with a team that includes Dominique Rolland, Maxime Jacquin, David Massé, and Patricia Larouche.
McCarthy Tétrault acted as legal counsel to Hydro-Québec.