By MICHAEL EBOH with Agency Report

Hydro-Québec has signed a two-year agreement with Russia’s largest independent power company, Irkutskenergo, to co-operate on hydro power generation and transmission research and development projects.

The agreement, with EuroSibEnergo subsidiary Irkutskenergo, will see the two sides collaborate and conduct technical exchanges and research in leading power technologies.

Irkutskenergo will get access to Hydro-Québec’s innovation projects, initially in the power generation and transmission.

The companies have lined up seven initial joint projects, with Hydro-Quebec providing its expertise and Irkutskenergo obtaining license rights on Russian territory.

EuroSibEnergo is Russia’s largest independent power company in terms of installed electricity capacity and one of the largest hydro-electric generating companies in the world. It operates 18 power plants.

Hydro-Québec is Canada’s largest electricity producer and one of the world’s largest.