Manitoba Hydro has spent $31 million on Conawapa station since report calling for spending to stop

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This article was published 31/03/2015 (3318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba’s Opposition Tories say Manitoba Hydro has spent about $31 million on the proposed Conawapa generating station since a report last year recommended stopping spending on the project.

Ralph Eichler, Opposition Critic for Manitoba Hydro, said the Selinger government must explain why spending has continued.

“It’s substantial,” Eichler said. “Manitobans are going to bear the brunt of that.”

Eichler said according to a freedom of information request filed by the Tories, a total of more than $329 million has been spent on the Conawapa since 2003.

The Tories say more than half of this amount is attributed to consulting services and interest costs.

The 1,485 megawatt Conawapa project is estimated to cost $10.7 billion with a planned in-service date of 2026.

Manitoba Hydro has said it does not need to build Conawapa immediately because power generated by the already-approved Keeyask dam is enough to meet electricity export contracts.

The Public Utilities Board said in a report last year, following a lengthy hearing into Manitoba Hydro’s capital plans, that because Conawapa’s economic benefits had not been demonstrated, spending on it should be discontinued immediately and the projects terminated.

The Manitoba government accepted the recommendation.

Manitoba Hydro is back before the PUB asking for it to finalize a 2.75 per cent interim rate increase that was effective May 1, 2014, and a further interim 3.95 per cent rate increase, effective April 1, 2015.