The Madawaska wind project has received government authorisation, enabling the continuation of final permitting and approval processes ahead of construction. The project is being developed through an equal partnership between EDF solutions électriques, the Alliance de l’énergie de l’Est L.P., and Société de gestion éolienne de la Madawaska Inc., a subsidiary of Hydro-Québec. The project is planned on a mix of public and private land across forestry and agricultural areas within the municipalities of Dégelis and Saint-Jean-de-la-Lande in the Témiscouata regional county municipality and will be connected to the Hydro-Québec grid.
The project will comprise 45 wind turbines with a combined installed capacity of 274 MW. Construction for the project is scheduled to begin in January 2026 and continue through 2027, with electricity supply to the Hydro-Québec grid expected to commence by the end of 2026. The project is planned to be executed with the involvement of local companies and suppliers.
Annual payments from the project to host communities have been set at $5,700 per MW installed, indexed annually to the consumer price index. Over the estimated 30-year project life, these payments are expected to exceed $46 million, with more than $25 million allocated to the municipalities of Dégelis and Saint-Jean-de-la-Lande. Additionally, the Alliance de l’énergie de l’Est, which holds a 33 per cent stake in the project, is expected to redistribute close to $181 million in profits over 30 years to 16 regional county municipalities and the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation.
