La Gabelle Generating Station, Hydroelectric power station in Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel and Saint-Étienne-des-Grès, Canada
La Gabelle is a hydroelectric generating station that stretches 590 meters across the Saint-Maurice River with five power units built from concrete. The structure functions as both a dam and a crossing point for foot and bicycle traffic between the two communities.
The facility was built in 1924 as the first hydroelectric development on the lower Saint-Maurice River. An additional power unit was installed in 1931 to increase electricity production.
The name comes from a historic trading post where Indigenous peoples and French Canadians exchanged goods during their journeys through the rapids. Visitors crossing the structure today can sense this connection to the past.
Route Verte number 4 runs across the facility and connects the two communities with a safe path for cyclists and pedestrians. Wear good footwear and be prepared for changing weather, as the crossing sits exposed above the river.
The station uses Kaplan turbines, a specialized turbine design optimized for changing water flow conditions. This technology allows for efficient power generation even as water levels vary in the river.
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