Damming the dams

When Hydro Quebec first made its water reservoir reserve calculations back in the 1970s, it didn’t expect the Caniapiscau reservoir to fill up for at least three years, but it did it — in about one year.

In recent years, the overall turbine capacity has apparently been working at about 50 per cent capacity because of lack of water reserves.

Hydro Quebec could build 10 more dams, but if Mother Nature decides not to co-operate and deliver enough snowfall, etc., we’ll have signed a death-warrant for three more rivers. Let the rivers run!

Mitch Gingras
Montreal