Nearly $500M coming for affordable and clean electricity in Manitoba

The federal and provincial governments are making a joint investment of nearly $500 million to bring clean, reliable and affordable electricity to Manitoba.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Premier Wab Kinew made the announcement at a news conference in Winnipeg on Thursday, saying the $476.5 million investment will strengthen Manitoba’s clean electricity grid and ensure residents receive low-carbon energy.

“Our government is very happy to partner with the Government of Canada on this investment, because for the last seven years in Manitoba, our skilled trades, our workers have been going out west to build pipelines,” Kinew said.

“But with this investment, we’re going to bring them home to build Manitoba Hydro projects, to build transmission projects, to build generating projects, to power our low carbon economy with good paying, blue-collar jobs.”

The governments note that $314 million of the funds will go towards eight hydroelectric turbines at the Pointe du Bois Generating station. These new generating units will replace eight hydroelectric generating units that are at the end of their lifecycles, and increase capacity at the facility by 52 megawatts.

The provincial and federal governments are also investing $161.6 million to help build a 230-kilovolt transmission network in the Portage la Prairie area. The construction of this new transmission line will improve reliability for customers in southwest Manitoba and assist Manitoba Hydro in meeting increased demand.

According to officials, the investment will reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the Brandon Generating Station by 37 per cent, and ensure Manitobans benefit from the second-most affordable electricity in the country.

“Together, these two projects will mean cleaner, more reliable and more affordable energy for thousands and thousands households and businesses across this province,” Freeland said.

“Our economic plan is all about making Canada a clean electricity superpower. And we know that Manitoba, the workers, the businesses, all the people here are already leading the way.”