MONTREAL -- In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hydro-Québec and the New York Power Authority have signed an agreement to share resources if needed, to make sure both places have guaranteed access to power, Hydro-Québec announced Thursday.

Both companies will factor in their own needs to assess what they can provide to the other. They’ll have to consider the safety of their workers amid the pandemic, but the idea would be to share expertise, specialized workers, equipment and materials.

Quebec has been working with New York for decades in the power sector, with the first exports from the province dating back to 1910. In 2019, five per cent of New York’s total consumption came from Quebec hydropower.

"We are proud to lend our expertise to our New York colleagues and rely on their support in case of an emergency," Hydro-Québec CEO David Murray said in a press release.

The agreement will continue until the end of September.