The Manitoba Hydro Connection
to the Arrowhead-Weston Line
and Big Profits
Note: this legislative assembly meeting takes place in 1998, but, it is about a 45 page report from 1997.
VOL. XLVIII No. 1 - 10 a.m., TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1998
Tuesday, February 24, 1998
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC UTILITIES AND NATURAL
RESOURCES
Tuesday, February 24, 1998
TIME -- 10 a.m.
LOCATION -- Winnipeg, Manitoba
CHAIRPERSON -- Mr. Gerry McAlpine (Sturgeon Creek)
VICE-CHAIRPERSON -- Mr. Denis Rocan (Gladstone)
ATTENDANCE - 11 -- QUORUM - 6
Members of the Committee present:
Hon. Messrs. Downey, Gilleshammer, Pitura, Mrs. Vodrey
Messrs. Dewar, Gaudry, McAlpine, Penner, Reid, Rocan, Sale
Substitutions:
Mr. Helwer for Hon. Mr. Downey Hon. Mr. Newman for Hon. Mr. Pitura
Mr. Laurendeau for Mr. Penner Mr. Dyck for Hon. Mr. Gilleshammer
Ms. Mihychuk for Mr. Reid Mr. Sveinson for Hon. Mrs. Vodrey
APPEARING:
Mr. Robert Brennan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board
Mr. John
McCallum, Chairman, Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board
MATTERS UNDER DISCUSSION:
Annual Report of the Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board, March 31, 1997
Ms. Mihychuk: In terms of
some of the implications of Bill 55, it was my understanding that
would allow for more international agreements and other joint
ventures, and we saw that in your presentation.
Recently,
Manitoba Hydro announced its joint
venture with Minneapolis or Minnesota Power utility. Are there
further negotiations or other ventures that Manitoba Hydro is
investigating?
Mr. Brennan: Yes, we would very, very much like to get into the eastern part of Wisconsin. There are transmission limitations right now for us to do that, and we are entered into alliance with Minnesota Power, which we are quite happy with. They are really good people to work with, and we are talking about a transmission line being built from Duluth right down into the southeastern part of Wisconsin, and part of that will be Manitoba Hydro, should the opportunity arise, supplying additional firm power down into that area. We are also talking to other utilities about opportunities to get into more expensive or more costly areas, if you will, where we would be able to sell power at higher rates. In most cases, that requires additional transmission, and that is why alliances are so important to us.