"This clean energy project at the Madawaska hydro dam is helping to create high-quality jobs and a sustainable energy source for New Brunswick's future," Valcourt said in a statement.
The Madawaska hydro dam, operated by Edmundston Energy, is a 4.05 megawatt hydroelectric system commissioned last March to replace an old hydro plant built in 1917.
The project is expected to generate about 20 gigawatt hours of electricity a year that will be used by Edmundston Energy to power about 1,625 homes.
Last year, the New Brunswick government kicked in $1 million for the hydro dam project, which is expected to cut 14,800 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.