Visit to Quebec's North Shore - Day 1
Their Excellencies concluded their visit to Baie-Comeau with a tour of the Daniel-Johnson Dam and Manic-5 Generating Station.
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 12:00 Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall GG2014-0319-001
Upon their arrival in Baie-Comeau, Their Excellencies the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnston met with city Mayor His Worship Claude Martel (right). After the meeting, Their Excellencies signed the city’s guest book.
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 12:00 Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall GG2014-0316-001
The dam is 214 metres high and 1 314 metres long across the crest. It has 13 arches and 14 buttresses, and was inaugurated in 1969. The power station was put into service in 1970–1971.
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 12:00 Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall GG2014-0319-004
The combined power of the two power stations (Manic-5 and Manic-5 PA) is 2 660 MW, which makes it the third largest site in Hydro-Québec’s production system.
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 12:00 Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall GG2014-0319-003
Their Excellencies visited the hydroelectric facilities at the longest multiple-arch-and-buttress dam in the world, located 214 kilometres north of the city of Baie-Comeau and built across the Manicouagan river valley.
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 12:00 Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall GG2014-0319-002
Their Excellencies attended a presentation on the projects that the CRLB and Les Semences élite du Québec are currently working on, and met with a scientist that accompanied them to an in vitro laboratory to see some plants.
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 12:00 Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall GG2014-0318-002
In the afternoon, Their Excellencies proceeded to Les Buissons Research Centre (CRLB), which has led a genetic improvement program for potatoes since 1987. Since its creation, the centre has produced more than 15 varieties of potatoes, including Envol, which is found in Canada and the United States. The centre also conducts potato variety trials in Cuba, Brazil and Uruguay in order to test their disease resistance.
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 12:00 Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall GG2014-0318-001
Their Excellencies then took part in a round table with participants from the economic, academic, social and environmental sectors.
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 12:00 Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall GG2014-0317-003
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss challenges, successes, partnerships and projects that have improved the entire region’s economic conditions.
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 12:00 Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall GG2014-0317-002
Their Excellencies, joined by the Mayor, proceeded to Sainte-Amélie Church to see the three-dimensional fresco and stained-glass windows built by world-renowned Florentine artist Guido Nincheri.
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 12:00 Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall GG2014-0316-002
The Manicouagan reservoir has a volume of 140 billion cubic metres of water, which makes it one of the largest freshwater reservoirs in the world.
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 12:00 Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall GG2014-0319-006