Ottawa pauses dam fish rules after $2B Hydro-Québec warning

The federal government suspended new fish-protection standards for hydroelectric dams by Oct. 16, a day after they were announced, after Hydro-Québec estimated that complying would cost it $2 billion, Radio-Canada reported.

The standards were issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Only the rules for hydroelectric dams are suspended, and other fish-protection changes remain in place, Radio-Canada reported. The story is developing, and Ottawa has not published a timeline for revised rules.

The requirements were set to take effect Oct. 15, according to Radio-Canada’s earlier report, relayed by Radio X. They covered limits on changes in reservoir water flow, rescue of fish trapped or isolated by water-level changes, and prevention of fish injuries and deaths in turbines. Plants built before July 14, 1977, would also have had to comply, Radio-Canada reported.

Hydro-Québec and about 600 power plant operators across Canada objected to the technical requirements, according to CKAJ’s summary of the Radio-Canada report. Industry said some of the rules were incompatible with normal operation of a hydroelectric reservoir, and Hydro-Québec quickly put the cost of compliance at $2 billion.

Joël Lightbound, the federal Liberal minister and Quebec lieutenant, said Thursday afternoon the regulatory changes had “grey areas” that needed to be clarified (translated from French). Radio-Canada reported his comment under the headline that the standards had “zones d’ombre.”

The Bloc Québécois accused Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government of contradicting itself, because Ottawa has said it wants to double electricity production by 2050, according to the same report. Ottawa has said the standards aim to protect aquatic wildlife, 98.5 FM reported.

Hydro-Québec’s rates and revenues are already in the spotlight. It has asked regulators to double the rates it charges data centres, and the incoming Parti Québécois government has said little so far about the Churchill Falls agreement. Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and outgoing premier Christine Fréchette also discussed energy during their transition meeting.

Federal officials did not respond to Radio-Canada’s questions about the standards. Discussions between Ottawa and the hydroelectric sector are to resume.

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