Premier Dwight Ball says a big part of this morning’s discussion with the Council of Atlantic Premiers and Quebec Premier Francois Legault, was around the replacement of coal-fired energy with green energy.
Ball and Legault met with Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil and PEI Premier Dennis King. New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs couldn’t make it, due to weather.
With the retirement of assets in Atlantic Canada—primarily in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick—Premier Ball says some 1,700 to 1,800 megawatts of coal-fired energy would need to be replaced.
That doesn’t account for some of the fossil fuel energy that would also have to be replaced. That could be in the 4,000 megawatt range.
The Premier says it was important to get an understanding as to what is required within transmission, and what the demands of the future will be in Atlantic Canada.
Hydro Quebec would play an important role in the supply of clean, green energy, says Ball. All other provinces collectively, would look at the options available to them.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault says there are many scenarios that they will study, and that electricity can come from Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, or a mix.
Legault says it’s clear that right now there is a capacity of green energy that can be built upon. He wants to work together to create a complete plan to sever 100 per cent clean energy to all provinces.