Innergex Renewable Energy

Our mission is to increase our production of renewable energy by developing and operating high quality facilities while respecting the environment and balancing the best interests of the host communities, our partners, and our investors.

Innergex adheres to the following Key Principles in order to provide a solution to the energy challenges of both today and tomorrow, to protect the environment while optimizing the use of natural resources to produce electricity, and to earn and sustain its social acceptability.

Water: a sensible choice for economic, social and environmental reasons

The very first hydroelectric power plant was built in the United States in 1882, by H.J. Rogers, based on a concept developed by Thomas Edison. Canada was not far behind, and the first Canadian hydro plant was opened in 1885 at Montmorency, Quebec. Over the years, advances in civil, mechanical and electrical engineering have made Canada a world expert in the field. Hydroelectricity is now the main energy source in the country, accounting for close to 60% of national production.

People have been using the power of moving water to run water wheels and mills for more than 2,000 years. Modern power plants today convert that mechanical energy into electricity.

Tides, ocean currents, waterfalls, rivers… Moving water is a constant source of energy ready to be harnessed. Hydroelectric energy is obtained by using a turbine to convert the kinetic energy of a river or waterfall into mechanical energy, and then an alternator to transform it into electrical energy.

There are two main kinds of hydroelectric generating stations: reservoir, and run-of-river (ROR).

A generating station with reservoir uses a dam to create an artificial lake. Water is collected seasonally and used to meet sudden, significant and ongoing demands for electricity. A run-of-river generating station has no reservoir but offers the advantage of producing electricity without having to store the water.

Hydro power plants produce minimal greenhouse gases and are a source of clean, non-polluting energy. The evaporation/condensation cycle also makes hydro energy renewable. The above qualities pertain particularly to ROR plants, which produce energy from the natural water flow, which means that the impact on the landscape, ecosystem and neighbouring communities is considerably reduced. It also costs much less to produce electricity at an ROR plant.

Such properties make ROR hydroelectricity a sensible choice, for economic, social and environmental reasons.