Quebec, Canada (AHN) - Quebec Premier Jean Charest approved Monday 15 tenders for $5.5 billion wind power projects that would generate 2,004 megawatts for the region by 2015.

The power to be generated by the second phase of Quebec's heavier reliance on wind power would be sufficient to provide the energy requirements of 320,000 homes in the province. Charest said it was "the largest tender for wind-powered energy ever awarded in a single block in North America."

Harnessing the clean and free from of power is part of the province's five-year Hydro-Quebec program which used a mix of environment-friendly sources of energy as the French-speaking area cuts further its reliance on fossil fuels to light and heat their homes.

Under the first phase, 1,000 megawatts of wind-power were awarded by Quebec to windmill operators. So far a dozen wind farms mostly in the Gaspe region have churned out 400 megawatts.

Quebec's aim is to cut down its overall energy usage by 5.7 percent by 2015, including a 6.2 percent reduction on natural gas consumption and 10 percent on oil consumption, according to Claude Bechard, Quebec's Minister of Natural Resources.

The province exports the excess power it generates. In 2008, Quebec's electricity export went up by 10.y terawatt-hours from only 6.7 terawatt-hours in 2005. It raised $1.1 billion cash for the province's coffers.

The companies which were awarded contracts included St-Laurent Energies which bagged five projects and the consortium between Boralex Incorporated and Gaz Metro Limited, which won two projects.

John Keating, chief executive officer of Canadian Hydro Resources, one of the country's largest wind farm operators, told the Globe and Mail, the new wind projects "helps validate the entrance of wind power into the mainstream of power generating technology."