Hydro-Quebec declared the 385-MW Peribonka hydroelectric project fully operable Dec. 30 on the Peribonka River northeast of Lac Saint-Jean, Quebec.
The province-owned utility put the first of the project’s three turbine-generators on line Dec. 10, three months ahead of a scheduled on-line date for the first unit of March 2008. The other two units now are in service as well.
Work on the C$1.2 billion (US$1.19 billion) project began in April 2004. (HNN 3/15/07)
Peribonka is expected to generate an average of 2,200 gigawatt-hours annually. The project features an 80-meter-tall dam, a spillway, and an underground powerhouse that contains three Francis turbine-generators.
Project service and product providers included Alstom Canada Energie, Bauer spezialtiefbau GmbH, Canmec Industrial Inc., LAR Machinerie Inc., and Roctest Ltd.
Quebec Premier Jean Charest and utility officials attended a ceremony inaugurating the project.
