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James Bay
Hydro project
The James Bay hydro project is a massive hydro-electric
power generation project that was started in 1972. It was highly
controversial at the time because of its monumental effect on both the
environment of the area as well as the local Cree people.
The project affected a huge area, diverted some very large
rivers, and dammed others. Areas that the Cree had used for thousands of
years were flooded. With the large influx of southerners and southern
ways, their old way of life was devastated. Alcoholism and all of the
other related problems descended on them and tore apart their established way of
life that was thousands of years old.
Today they have to some extent adapted to the changes.
Many local Cree have jobs with Hydro Quebec.
To their credit, Hydro Quebec says they have learned from its
past. They say that today no new hydro-electric project can be constructed
unless the local people want it. The proposed project must also be
environmentally sound (but of course that can be manipulated) and meet certain
cost guidelines. Recently Hydro Quebec wanted to build yet more generating
capacity further north, on the Great Whale River. However, the local
people of that area rejected the proposal, and so the project was cancelled.
You can get a tour of the main generating station, known
as the Robert Bourassa generating facility, or LG2
(short for La Grande 2). English language tours are available on request
(ask at the Radisson tourist info booth). I got a private tour since I was
the only one requesting an English tour at the time.
With a generating capacity of over 7300 Megawatts, this is
the largest underground powerhouse in the world. The entire James Bay
project can generate up to 15,000 Megawatts of power, which is about 50% of the
power generated in Quebec. The dams that were built created the largest
bodies of water created by humankind.
For more info about this massive hydro-electric project,
click here.
Please note that there are many issues
regarding the impact, advantages, and disadvantages of such a massive project,
both pro and con. I am purposefully avoiding addressing those issues here.
This web page is meant to be more of a reporting of my trip, with some
background information.
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