The project has been in the works for several years and was only waiting for approval of an energy block, according to Asmaa Essalhi, director of the Port-Cartier Chamber of Commerce. Shango Canada already has the land to build a plant where it will use a process to reduce the ore dust emitted from the pellets. ArcelorMittal would reportedly be among its potential clients.
Moreover, the mining company is also on the list of megawatt winners. ArcelorMittal plans to implement a flotation system at its pelletizing plant. This will allow it to remove contaminants during the production of direct-reduction iron pellets, which will now account for 100% of its output.
Alouette Smelter in Sept-Îles also obtained megawatts. The company did not wish to give an interview to talk about its project.
“We are pleased to have received confirmation from the Government of Québec that Aluminerie Alouette’s modernization and decarbonization proposal has been selected with a view to obtaining an additional block of electrical energy,” its spokesperson, Marie-Claude Guimond, said by email. “An agreement must be concluded with Hydro-Québec soon to determine the terms and conditions. Therefore, we will not be able to provide further details.”
In January, Aluminerie Alouette’s president and CEO told Radio-Canada he hoped to renew the company’s current energy block, in addition to obtaining a larger one in order to increase production and continue decarbonizing.
Lastly, Quebec Iron Ore (MFQ) is also included. The Champion Iron subsidiary also did not wish to disclose what it plans to do with these megawatts.
“The awarding of this additional block of hydroelectricity will help enable us to carry out our plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, as well as the various growth projects we are evaluating,” said Noémie Prégent-Charlebois, Director of Communications and Government Affairs at Quebec Iron Ore, in an email.
MFQ already received megawatts from the Government of Québec last fall. These allow it to move forward with its project to produce direct-reduction-grade material for pelletizing (RDPB), a $470M investment. The company will thus produce one of the purest iron ores in the world.
