Hydropower Sustainability Alliance releases report on Hydro-Québec's Eastmain-1 Development
The Hydropower Sustainability Alliance and Hydro-Québec have released the Assessment Report evaluating the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of the Eastmain-1 Development project against the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS).
Eastmain Reservoir and the Eastmain-1 and Bernard-Landry power houses .
The Assessment Report examines the Eastmain-1 and Bernard-Landry generating facilities across the 12 ESG topics outlined by the HSS. The rigorous evaluation process, which was conducted by a team of independent assessors, involved document reviews, interviews, and an extensive site visit, the report provides a comprehensive overview of the project's operational practices and impact management.
Key findings underscore positive achievements in critical areas such as biodiversity preservation, labour and working conditions, cultural heritage preservation, and governance and procurement. Additionally, the assessment reveals that close collaboration with the Cree community has been a central part of the project’s operations.
The Assessment Report was open for public comment for a period of 60 days on the websites of Hydro-Québec and the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance. Stakeholders were encouraged to contribute their insights and perspectives to foster a comprehensive evaluation of the project's performance.
Note: This article was edited on 28 July 2023 following the end of the public comment period.