Parc des Chutes- de-la-Chaudi

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Parc des Chutes-de-la-Chaudière Mini Hydro
Project Enhancement Through Development
Lessons from a success story
by JeanPierre Fau and Guy Dufort
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Parc des Chutes-de-la-Chaudière Mini Hydro
Project

• Development - 19932000
• Transfer of public water rights to Innergex -
  1993
• Impact study - 19941995
• Public hearings - 19961997
• Project approvals and licensing - 1997
• Project construction - 19971999
• Commissioning - 2000

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Location
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The urban setting in 1929
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The first powerhouse in 1901
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The powerhouse in 1920
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Turbine Layout
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Spring breakup in 1969
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Breach in the dam

• The old power station was decommissioned in 1970

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The urban setting in 1994
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Chaudière Falls before the project

• Before the mini hydro development, Parc des
  Chutes-de-la-Chaudière was almost totally
  abandoned.
• Public access to the park was poorly indicated.
• Trails were badly maintained and sometimes
  dangerous.
• Two old and unattractive structures remained,
  the old dam and the intake.
• There was no government or municipal funding.

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Parc des Chutes-de-la-Chaudière Mini Hydro
Project

• Project on the Chaudière River
• Located at the 35-meter-high falls in Parc des
  Chutes-de-la-Chaudière
• Located in a public park in a fast-growing city
  (Lévis) on the south shore of the St. Lawrence
  River near Quebec City and bordered by two
  highways
• 254-meter-long ,7-meter-high concrete dam on the
  falls
• Installed capacity of 24 MW with two horizontal
  Kaplans

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Strong focus on environmental integration from
the start

• Innergex, the promoter of the Chaudière project,
  paid special attention to environmental
  integration from the beginning of the project.
• The companys bid proposal included integration
  principles that were maintained and improved
  throughout the implantation process.

• These included
• Enhancement of the falls and maintenance of an
  esthetic discharge during the summer season
• Maintenance of an ecological discharge to
  preserve downstream fish habitats all year round
• Architecturally pleasing powerhouse design
• No switchyard
• Establishment of a special fund dedicated to
  restoring and maintaining public park
  infrastructures
• Maintaining public access to the powerhouse

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Consultation - Information

• A methodical, broad-reaching approach
• Transparency
• An ongoing presence
• Continuous information before and during
  construction

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Three key issues
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First issue controlled esthetic flow
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Before - 39 m3/s After - 25 m3/s
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Before - 16 m3/s After - 15 m3/s
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Second issue aquatic ecosystem
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General design
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Third issue integration of works
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Architecture
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Interpretation
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A few figures

• 350,000 for park redevelopment
• 346,000 lump sum payment
• 100,000 annually

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Coffer dam on the west bank Dry construction of
project works
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The two penstocks
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Lessons learned

• The Chaudière mini hydro project was a
  challenging project in a public park just south
  of Quebec City.

• The keys to success were
• A comprehensive approach integrating financial,
  social, and environmental values shared by the
  developer, project designers, and the community
• An open-minded attitude and a willingness to
  listen
• The patience to give the community the
  opportunity to express its concerns
• The community got involved when ecologists were
  using their standard arguments against the
  project.

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In short

• Vision
• Flexibility
• Shared values

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