The Chaire sur la décarbonisation team at ESG UQAM, notably Mark Purdon, Benjamin Cayouette and Charles Séguin, in collaboration with Jonathan Rubin at the University of Maine, studied the political economy issues involved in regional electricity integration in the American Northeast and Eastern Canada.Read a summary of their work.
Summary
The project analyzes the political economy surrounding the integration of the electricity sectors in Eastern Canada and the Northeastern United States, in particular Quebec, New England and New York State. It focuses on two major projects: the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) and the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE), which are set to deliver significant quantities of hydroelectricity from Quebec to these American regions. Quebec’s clean energy initiatives have historical roots in the province’s social and political changes of the 1960s, and are aligned with its climate objectives.
Despite widespread support for these projects, recent shifts towards industrial policies, notably the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in the U.S., have created tensions. The IRA offers significant subsidies for clean technologies, raising concerns in Canada about economic inequalities between the two countries and prompting the Canadian government to increase its investment in clean technologies.
Using the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), the project assesses how international political dynamics affect clean energy coalitions.It highlights that, while Hydro-Québec and political leaders are navigating these challenges, unexpected changes, such as a climate-induced energy crisis in Quebec, could disrupt existing coalitions and impact future energy exports. Throughout the discussion, insights are provided into the regulatory frameworks in place, the historical context of Quebec’s hydroelectric exports, and the complex dynamics of the coalitions of support and opposition for the NECEC and CHPE projects.
In conclusion, the project highlights the need for clear communication of Quebec’s hydropower emissions data, and suggests that Quebec’s long-standing identity with its hydropower resources faces new challenges, requiring adjustments in policy and approach as it navigates its energy future. Changes in U.S. leadership and initiatives to make the U.S. power grid more resilient through local microgrids will also need to be taken into account.