Update – Work at Chelsea generating station to continue in 2023

Chelsea generating station.

Hydro-Québec would like to inform residents that the refurbishment work at Chelsea generating station will continue in 2023, as the contractor hired to carry out the work was unable to complete the project by the initial deadline.

As a result, and contrary to what had been announced, Hydro-Québec will not lower the level of the Rivière Gatineau upstream of the generating station to 96 metres in early December.

River level in the coming weeks

Until December 15, the work to refurbish the generating station will continue, and the water level will remain at 97 metres to ensure the safety of the workers on site. As of December 15, work will be suspended for the winter, and the water level will vary between 97.20 and 97.50 metres—the standard for that time of year.

A few weeks before work resumes in spring 2023, Hydro-Québec will provide the municipality of Chelsea and local residents with an update on the project and the impacts on the river’s water level.

About the refurbishment

To ensure the long-term operability of its facilities, Hydro-Québec began refurbishment work at Chelsea generating station in spring 2022. The project encompasses the dam deck, emergency access points and emergency exits.

Hydroelectric facilities are among the most sustainable types of energy production facilities, and one-hundred-year-old generating stations are not uncommon in Québec. Chelsea generating station and its dam are located on the Rivière Gatineau in Chelsea. With an installed capacity of 153 MW, the generating station was commissioned in 1927. It is located a few hundred metres upstream of its sister station, Rapides-Farmer generating station.

For questions about the project, please call the Info-Project line at 1 800-465-1521, ext. 6022.

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