Building on last year's provincial Governmental announcements and orders in council no.1376-2024 and no1377-2024 regarding an upcoming solar energy procurement by Hydro-Québec, the Québec public utility announced on May 6, 2025 the launch of the A/O2025-01 Call for Tenders for the Acquisition of a 300MW Block of Photovoltaic Solar Energy (the "RFP") and revealed an action plan to produce 3,000MW of solar energy by 2035.
Solar RFP: What We Know and What's Next
In order to meet Québec's growing energy needs over the 2023-2032 Supply Plan period, Hydro-Québec is seeking bids in order to enter into long-term supply contracts for electricity from new solar energy projects. The projects must have a minimum capacity of 0.7MW, a maximum capacity of 25MW and need to be connected to Hydro-Québec's integrated network by December1, 2029 at the latest.
The deadline for submitting bids to the RFP is March 31, 2026 at 4:00PM (Montréal time), but Secure Exchanges (the envelopes used to submits bids) must be requested at the latest by March 24, 2026 before 4:00PM. Developers considering submitting bids to the RFP must register between May 21 and July21, 2025.
Projects will be evaluated according to a criteria grid that includes electricity cost, Québec content of certain prescribed activities, sustainable development, and project feasibility. The RFP currently contemplates a term between 20 and 25 years for the power purchase agreement, starting between April1 and December1, 2029. The price formula need only include an energy price component ($/MWh), indexed annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or a fixed rate. Details of the power purchase agreement and other schedules are outstanding and will be made available at a later time on the RFP's website.
As anticipated in previous articles, the RFP will reward projects that maximize economic benefits for Québec, avoid agricultural zones, and demonstrate responsible equipment sourcing (such as human rights and ethical procurement practices). The RFP also favours solar projects located in urban areas as they would enjoy better connectivity to Hydro-Québec's transmission and distribution network, and would make use of existing infrastructure, such as large rooftops, parking lots, and urban brownfields.
Those interested in the RFP can sign up to attend a preparatory video conference that will take place on May 20, 2025 and present the general terms of the RFP. A question and answer period will follow, running from May 21, 2025 to March 17, 2026.
A technical conference will be held on May 21, 2025, using the same format as the preparatory conference, where Hydro-Québec will explain the requirements for upcoming studies to be completed in connection with bidding. Technical guidance requests can be submitted to Hydro-Québec starting June 2, 2025. Any requests filed before October 1, 2025 are guaranteed to have a response from Hydro-Québec before January 30, 2026.
Solar Energy Action Plan
May 6, 2025 also saw the announcement by Hydro-Québec of its plan to develop 3,000MW of solar energy by 2035. This plan recognizes that solar energy is a promising option in the quest to increase Québec's energy supply, as its technical benefits, rapid deployment, and increasingly competitive costs make it a valuable complement to increases in energy efficiency in the Province, as well as increased investment in hydroelectricity and wind power supply. In the addition to the upcoming and potential additional RFPs, Hydro-Québec's vision for optimal development of solar power will be pursued through (i) plans to develop larger solar projects, and (ii) supporting residential and commercial self-generation.
Hydro-Québec more specifically intends to use its learnings from the upcoming RFP to plan the development of solar farms with capacities greater than 25MW in collaboration with promoters and municipal and indigenous communities
Hydro-Québec also intends to implement a net metering program whereby customers who generate their own solar energy will be allowed to sell the surplus to Hydro-Québec at full value, with financing assistance for the acquisition of solar equipment being offered starting in 2026. To that end, Hydro-Québec has filed with the provincial energy regulator, the Régie de l'énergie, a proposal to increase the authorized limit for rooftop panel installations.
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