Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board to Hold Public Info Sessions

October 13, 2016

The sessions will provide details of a recent decision to move ahead with the Bipole III Transmission Line project, financial challenges facing the utility, and steps being taken to strengthen Manitoba Hydro for the future.

The information sessions were prompted by a Government of Manitoba review of the utility.

“Our review began with a primary focus on the Bipole III project but quickly expanded in scope to include the Keeyask Generating Station, Manitoba Hydro’s capital program, and ultimately, the overall financial situation and operation of the utility corporation,” explains Sanford Riley, Chair of the Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board.

“Manitoba Hydro’s mounting and unprecedented levels of debt, the decision by the previous government to exclude Bipole III from the Public Utilities Board’s Needs For and Alternatives To hearings and the direct connection drawn by Manitoba’s credit rating agencies between Hydro’s financial situation and the province of Manitoba’s bottom line, were all cause for significant concern and a broader more intensive review.”

The Bipole III project involves installing a 1,400 kilometre HVDC link — a +/-500 kilovolt (kV) overhead line — connecting the Keewatinohk Converter Station near Hudson Bay with the Riel Converter Station near Winnipeg. The line will have a transmission capacity of 2,300 megawatts (MW). The project is significantly behind schedule and over budget.

Information session dates include the following:

• October 18 — Winnipeg

• October 25 — Winkler

• November 3 — Thompson

• November 9 — Brandon

Meetings will include a 20-minute presentation from Manitoba Hydro, followed by a question and answer session for those in attendance.

Find out more: https://www.hydro.mb.ca/corporate/news_media/public_info_sessions.shtml.