La Grande Rivière

River in central Québec, which flows west for a distance of 800 km/500 mi from Lake Nichicun to James Bay. As part of the huge James Bay energy and water management project undertaken in the 1980s, the river is a major source of hydroelectric power.

The James Bay project entailed diverting water from the River Caniapiscau into La Grande Rivière, with the result that its flow has doubled. Installations on the river now include a huge multitiered spillway and the largest underground power station in the world (‘La Grande 2’). The Cree settlement of Chisasibi (formerly Fort George), which stood at the river's mouth, has been moved upstream.The Cree gave up their land claims in the area in 1975, but disputes over the project's detrimental effects on their hunting and fishing grounds continue, especially with the announcement of further development on the Great Whale River (which lies to the north).