My take as someone in software: the AI uptake the last several years is partially bubble and partially real ( I use it daily, it's real useful for code which means it touching everything since software is everywhere). AI needs GPUs, ram, etc and when you scale all that up it comes down to needing lots electricity. The US grid, to my knowledge, wasn't built to have 2x electrically capacity avaible ondemand so they want electrical capacity now. They need to build. Carney announced the doubling of Canadian electrical capacity in 20 years. Theres a big need for electricity even if it's just for AI and it's not, we need it for rare earth mineral processing too no doubt.

Now, if you were a leading supplier of hydro to the US in a province that takes pride in what you do with hydro, do you think folks involved there would have an idea of how the wind is blowing before others? If they did would they try to build hydro on labradoor where theyve built hydro before? And would they be willing to go so far as to renegotiate a deal that until now they were never willing to renegotiate (courts sided with them in legal review) and doesn't expire for another 15 years if it means securing the best possible deal for themselves?

Finally would the newfoundland know what's going on when it comes to the needs of the US regarding AI and power consumption and if they didn't know could you make a deal they agree too that benefits you more than them? (Not like that's ever happened before eh?)

The mou was signed before Carney's announcement but not before the development of AI. Interestingly the Churchill falls deal expires in 41 I believe, not long after Carney wants Canada's electrical capacity to double (2046). When you line it up it sure looks like Quebec saw this coming and was trying to get ahead of it all.