We’ve turned the page on 2024. Onimiki Renewable Energy looks forward to 2025 with optimism.
2024 was an active year for the development of the Témiscamingue hydroelectric project. After several months of reflection following previous consultations, Onimiki Renewable Energy prepared an enhanced version of its project.
The information and consultation process was relaunched. Public meetings were held in Témiscaming, and with members of Kebaowek and Wolf Lake First Nations. Several targeted meetings were also held throughout the year.
Given the significant changes to the initial concept, a new project notice (in french) was submitted to the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (Quebec Ministry of the Environment) to initiate a new environmental assessment process.
Experts from Cima+ carried out additional field inventory campaigns to gather the data required to complete the project’s design and impact study.
The project remains in the development phase. Its scope will become clearer over the coming months.
A busy year
The year 2025 promises to be a busy one. Information and consultation meetings will be held this spring with the public and organizations concerned by the project.
In addition, Onimiki Renewable Energy is looking to set up a working group on the Kipawa River. The group’s mandate would be to analyze the project’s various impacts to water and provide recommendations that ensure their sustainable management. Over the last few months, local organizations were invited to participate in the working group. Meetings are scheduled to begin in the coming weeks.
The information and consultation process will also provide a public opportunity to discuss the issues at stake, with a view to improving the project’s design and, if necessary, incorporating the feedback directly into the impact study. The latter will be submitted to the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs in the Fall of 2025.
Project development will continue as the detailed engineering phase gets underway, which will finalize the project design prior to construction.
Onimiki Renewable Energy will actively participate in the process to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals for the project to proceed.