Manitoba Hydro going ahead with $92-M transmission line build

A pair of 230,000-volt transmission lines covering about 150 kilometres between them got the official green light from the province last month, Manitoba Hydro said on Friday.

The St. Vital Transmission Complex includes two new lines stretching from Winnipeg's St. Vital Station and will cost an estimated $92 million, Hydro said in a news release. One of the lines will serve Winnipeg-area customers and the other will reinforcesupply for parts of southern Manitoba.

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The complex received an Environment Act License from the Province of Manitoba on Jan. 30, Hydro said.

"Many of Manitoba Hydro's transmission lines and stations were built 40 or 50 years ago when the communities they serve were much smaller," said Kelvin Shepherd, CEO of Manitoba Hydro, in the release.

"The upgrade of our transmission network in southern Manitoba is needed to ensure we continue delivering electricity to our consumers and supporting growth and economic prosperity in the area."

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Construction to begin in 2018

One line will stretch 118 kilometres from St. Vital Station in southeast Winnipeg to Letellier Station, near Letellier, Man. The line replaces the existing 115,000-volt system that Hydro says is out of capacity.

The other, shorter line begins at St. Vital Station and terminates at La Verendrye Station, southwest of Winnipeg near Oak Bluff. The line is the final piece of a 230,000-volt transmission ring around the city intended to reduce potential for outages and blackouts.

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Hydro says it sought input from local municipalities, Indigenous communities, stakeholders and community members on route selection and environmental assessment.

Hydro still has to complete design, source materials and continue discussions with landowners before the build can begin.

Construction is set to start in summer 2018 and conclude in 2020.