GE Vernova Expands Hydropower Manufacturing in Quebec

GE Vernova will invest 22.2 million CAD to upgrade its hydropower-focused Sorel-Tracy facility and its grid-based La Prairie site in Quebec, Canada. The investments align with Hydro-Québec’s approximately $200 billion 2035 Action Plan, which includes a $150 billion capital expansion to improve the grid, expand hydropower and wind power capacity, and modernize infrastructures.

“To effectively execute on these projects in a capacity-constrained industry, GE Vernova has established long-term collaboration agreements with various hydropower asset owners that will enable early engagement and close collaboration between the companies, giving the long-term visibility needed to plan, design, and secure the supply chain for the projects,” said Frederic Ribieras, CEO of Hydro Power, GE Vernova. “The expected backlog related to these agreements require the expansion of the Sorel-Tracy site.”

Specifically, the company’s investment includes 16.2 million CAD, supported by 2.5 million CAD in federal funding, for the Sorel-Tracy hydropower manufacturing facility. The project includes expanding the site by approximately 20% and installing new equipment for large-scale component manufacturing. Also, GE Vernova will maintain 75 jobs and create 28 new positions. Following extension, the Sorel-Tracy facility will better support hydropower modernization projects in Canada.

Groundbreaking ceremony at Sorel-Tracy facility | Image Credit: GE Vernova

As an international hub for advanced turbine production and manufacturing, the facility holds nearly 100 employees working to modernize critical hydropower infrastructure. Canada’s energy demand is projected to double by 2050, with Quebec expecting a 35% increase by 2035; thus, GE Vernova’s expansion aims to satisfy increasing customer needs, improve energy resilience, and provide long-term energy security. In Canada, hydropower generates up to 60% of electricity, with an average plant age of 53-years-old.

Tehri Hydropower Complex

In June 2025, GE Vernova commissioned the first of four 250-MW hydropower variable speed units at the Tehri Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant to allow for short response times to load changes, giving the network greater flexibility. Once completed, the greater Tehri Hydropower Complex will be the largest hydropower plant in India with 2.4 GW of generating capacity. The project’s reservoir will support Uttarakhand’s irrigation and drinking water during non-monsoon periods.

In India, there is approximately 51 GW of installed hydropower capacity, positioning the nation as the fifth globally in hydroelectric capacity. For this project, GE Vernova will integrate four doubly fed induction motor generators and the associated pump turbines with the power electronics and control systems.

Modernization in South Carolina

In December 2024, GE Vernova agreed to modernize two hydropower units at the 100-year-old Saluda Hydropower plant near Columbia, South Carolina. The order from Dominion Energy includes installing an aerating turbine to replace turbine Units 1 and 3 and retrofitting the Unit 3 generator. This upgrade will prolong the plant’s life and performance and boost the Saluda River’s water quality by implementing GE Vernova’s new aerating turbine technology.

Through the collaboration, GE Vernova is responsible for the engineering, procurement, and construction of its units. The first unit is expected to be retrofitted by 2027. The company will also implement its advanced aerating hydropower turbine technology that increases dissolved oxygen, which means it oxygenates the water to ensure a minimum level of oxygen to protect aquatic life and natural resources.