

Currently released so far... 12453 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
ASEC
AORC
AMGT
APER
AU
AF
AS
ACBAQ
AFGHANISTAN
AFIN
AR
AE
AJ
ADANA
AEMR
AG
ATRN
ADPM
APECO
AGAO
AMED
AX
AM
AL
ADCO
AA
AECL
AADP
ABUD
AMEX
ACAO
ANET
AODE
ASCH
AY
APEC
AID
AORG
ASEAN
AFSI
AFSN
AINF
AGR
AROC
AO
AMBASSADOR
AFFAIRS
ASIG
ABLD
ASUP
AND
ARM
ARF
AQ
ATFN
AC
ACOA
AORL
ADM
AUC
AGMT
ACABQ
ASEX
AFU
ALOW
AZ
APCS
AVERY
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AER
AN
AIT
AMG
AGRICULTURE
AMCHAMS
ACS
BR
BA
BD
BL
BO
BF
BU
BILAT
BEXP
BRUSSELS
BK
BN
BM
BT
BY
BX
BTIO
BIDEN
BG
BE
BP
BBSR
BC
BTIU
BWC
BB
BH
BMGT
CH
CY
CA
CU
CS
CO
CVIS
CPAS
CMGT
CE
COUNTER
CASC
COUNTRY
CJAN
COUNTERTERRORISM
CG
CI
CD
CIDA
CJUS
CDG
CBSA
CEUDA
CR
CM
CLMT
CAC
CBW
CODEL
COPUOS
CWC
CIC
CW
CBE
CHR
CFED
CT
CONS
CIA
CTM
CDC
CVR
CF
CLINTON
CITEL
CLEARANCE
COE
CN
CACS
CAN
CONDOLEEZZA
CB
CSW
CITT
CARSON
CNARC
CACM
CDB
CARICOM
COM
CROS
CAPC
CTR
CV
CKGR
CBC
CL
CICTE
CIS
ECON
EFIN
ELAB
ETRD
EIND
EC
EINV
EAGR
ENRG
ETTC
EAID
EPET
ELTN
EWWT
EAIR
EFIS
EMIN
EG
EU
ER
EUN
EPA
ENVI
EXTERNAL
ECPS
ENGR
ETRC
ECIN
EN
EI
ELN
ET
EINT
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ES
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
EZ
ETRO
EDU
ETRN
EFTA
EAIG
EK
EUREM
EURN
ECONCS
ECONOMICS
ENVR
ELECTIONS
EAP
ENIV
ECONOMY
ESA
EINN
ECONOMIC
EIAR
EXBS
ECA
ECUN
EINDETRD
EUR
EREL
EUC
ESENV
ECONEFIN
ECIP
ENERG
ENNP
EFINECONCS
EFIM
ENGY
EAIDS
EINVEFIN
EINVETC
EUMEM
ETRA
ETC
ERNG
ETRDECONWTOCS
EUNCH
ECINECONCS
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EXIM
ERD
EEPET
IR
IS
IZ
IAEA
IO
IAHRC
ID
IC
IT
IRAQI
IWC
IN
IL
ISLAMISTS
IV
ICAO
INDO
ITPHUM
ITPGOV
ITALIAN
IPR
ICRC
INTERPOL
IQ
IBET
IMO
INR
ITRA
INTERNAL
ICJ
ICTY
IRS
ILO
INRA
INRO
ISRAELI
IEA
INRB
ITALY
ITU
IBRD
IIP
ILC
INTELSAT
IZPREL
IMF
INMARSAT
IRAJ
IDA
ICTR
IA
IGAD
IF
IDP
ITF
ISRAEL
IEFIN
IRC
IACI
KN
KCRM
KOMC
KNNPMNUC
KIPR
KPAL
KWBG
KSCA
KFRD
KNNP
KUNR
KTIP
KWMN
KSTC
KFLU
KOLY
KISL
KPAO
KMDR
KJUS
KSTH
KDEM
KCOR
KIRF
KAWC
KU
KTFN
KWAC
KNPP
KERG
KSEO
KACT
KHLS
KZ
KGHG
KTIA
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KCRCM
KE
KPKO
KCIP
KDRG
KVPR
KV
KIDE
KICC
KPRP
KBIO
KSUM
KGIT
KCFE
KG
KBTS
KFLO
KMPI
KS
KGIC
KPAI
KHSA
KTLA
KSEP
KTEX
KFSC
KOCI
KHDP
KPLS
KTDB
KHIV
KCSY
KSAC
KTRD
KID
KMRS
KOM
KSAF
KRVC
KR
KMOC
KNAR
KIRC
KBCT
KSPR
KFIN
KBTR
KJUST
KNEI
KAWK
KGCC
KMCA
KREL
KMFO
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFTFN
KVRP
KCOM
KO
KLIG
KAID
KVIR
KNSD
KHUM
KSEC
KRAD
KPRV
KCMR
KPWR
KCHG
KIFR
KCFC
KICA
KPIN
KSCI
KESS
KDEV
KTBT
KCRS
KCGC
KOMS
KRIM
KTER
KREC
KPOA
KWWMN
KRGY
KPAK
KWNM
KMIG
KDDG
KRFD
KWMM
KWMNCS
KX
KRCM
KPAONZ
KNUC
KDEMAF
KNUP
MARR
MOPS
MASS
MCAP
MTCRE
MNUC
MIL
MX
MEDIA
MO
MPOS
MU
ML
MA
MP
MY
MERCOSUR
MG
MD
MW
MK
MAS
MEETINGS
MR
MT
MI
MOPPS
MASC
MTS
MLS
MILI
MAR
MTRE
MEPN
MAPP
MTCR
MEPI
MQADHAFI
MAPS
MARAD
MASSMNUC
MEPP
MCC
MZ
MILITARY
MDC
MRCRE
MC
MV
MIK
MUCN
NATO
NL
NZ
NPT
NI
NAFTA
NU
NDP
NIPP
NP
NPA
NG
NRR
NO
NSC
NEW
NE
NH
NR
NA
NS
NSF
NZUS
NATIONAL
NSG
NC
NT
NAR
NK
NGO
NV
NSFO
NSSP
NASA
NW
NPG
NORAD
NATOPREL
OTRA
OAS
OPRC
OIIP
OVIP
OREP
OPDC
OEXC
OSCE
OFFICIALS
OMIG
ODIP
OFDP
OECD
OPIC
OBSP
OPCW
OFDA
OTR
OSAC
OSCI
ON
OCII
OES
OVP
OIC
OPAD
OIE
OHUM
OCS
PREL
PGOV
PK
PHUM
PINS
PARM
PA
PTER
PINR
PREF
PHSA
PBTS
PBIO
PO
POL
PE
PARMS
PM
PROG
PL
PAK
POLITICS
PORG
PTBS
PNAT
PUNE
POLICY
PDOV
PCI
PROP
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PBT
PP
PS
PAO
PG
PY
PTERE
PGOF
PALESTINIAN
PKFK
PSOE
PEPR
PPA
PINT
PMAR
PRELP
PSEPC
PREFA
PGOVE
PINF
PHUMPGOV
PNG
PMIL
PGOC
PFOR
PCUL
PLN
PSA
PGIV
POLINT
PAS
POGOV
PHUMPREL
PHUMBA
PEL
PGGV
PNR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PGOVLO
PRAM
PHUS
PDEM
PECON
PF
POV
PROV
PRL
PREO
PAHO
PHUH
PSI
PINL
PU
PRGOV
PAIGH
POLITICAL
PARTIES
POSTS
RS
RU
REACTION
REPORT
REGION
RIGHTS
RO
RW
RCMP
RF
RM
RFE
RSP
RP
RICE
ROBERT
ROOD
RELATIONS
RIGHTSPOLMIL
RUPREL
RSO
SU
SNAR
SO
SOCI
SW
SENV
SMIG
SCUL
SP
SZ
SENVKGHG
SR
SY
SA
SYRIA
SF
SI
SC
SWE
SARS
STEINBERG
SN
SG
SIPRS
ST
SEVN
SL
SPCE
SNARIZ
SSA
SNARCS
SYR
SK
SPCVIS
SHUM
SIPDIS
SHI
SH
SOFA
SEN
SNARN
SAARC
SAN
SANC
SCRS
TRGY
TBIO
TU
TF
TERRORISM
TI
TSPL
TPHY
TH
TIP
TSPA
TC
TO
TW
TX
TZ
TNGD
TT
TL
TV
TFIN
TS
TRSY
TINT
TN
TURKEY
TBID
TD
TK
TR
THPY
TP
TAGS
UNGA
UN
UK
US
UNC
UNSC
USUN
UG
UP
UY
USEU
UNESCO
USPS
USTR
UZ
UNHRC
UNO
UNMIK
UNAUS
UNHCR
UNCHR
USAID
UNVIE
UAE
USOAS
UNFICYP
UV
UNEP
UNODC
UNCHS
UNIDROIT
UNDESCO
UNDC
UNCHC
UNDP
UNCND
USNC
UNPUOS
UNICEF
UNCSD
UE
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 03OTTAWA412, MANITOBA: NEW ELECTRICITY OPTIONS
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #03OTTAWA412.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
03OTTAWA412 | 2003-02-11 16:04 | 2011-04-28 00:12 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Ottawa |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 OTTAWA 000412
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/ESC (MCMANUS AND ERVITI), WHA/CAN
(MASON AND RUNNING), OES/EGC (REIFSNYDER AND
DEROSA)
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC (SAMMIS and BROCK), OVP
(KNUTSON) AND EOP (MCNALLY)
DOE FOR S (HUDOME), IA A/S BAILEY, PUMPHREY, DE
VITO AND DEUTSCH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG SENV CA
SUBJECT: MANITOBA: NEW ELECTRICITY OPTIONS
THIS IS A PRODUCT OF AMERICAN PRESENCE
POST WINNIPEG.
¶1. Summary and introduction. The Province of
Manitoba and its state-owned hydroelectricity
utility, Manitoba Hydro, seek to greatly expand
hydroelectricity exports to the United States
from the already considerable level of 8.8
terawatt hours, with a value of C$495 million
per anum. Officials estimate that an
additional 5000 mw of electricity - equal to
its total existing capacity - could be
developed in Manitoba without significant local
political, legal or social disruption. Most of
this new capacity could be made available for
the U.S. market, helping to guarantee energy
security for U.S. consumers from a close-by,
clean, secure and relatively inexpensive source
of power. Two challenges have prevented this
from coming to fruition: 1) A lack of
transmission capability to get the electricity
to the large U.S. markets of the Midwest, and
2) The current uncertainty and price
instability caused by industry restructuring in
the United States and Canada, which makes
Manitoba Hydro and outside investors reluctant
to make the large capital investment in
hydroelectricity infrastructure. End Summary
and Introduction.
¶2. Manitoba sees tremendous potential in the
vast demand for energy in the U.S. Midwest.
Chicago and Milwaukee are physically much
closer to Manitoba than Ontario's industrial
heartland, cutting down the distance required
to transport the electricity, and the demand is
far greater than in Manitoba's western
neighbors of Saskatchewan and Alberta. In a
meeting with Embassy Energy Officer and
Winnipeg Econ Assistant, Manitoba Hydro
President and CEO Bob Brennan indicated that
his company has estimated that Wisconsin alone
will need close to 7000 mw of power in the next
few years, an amount greater than all of
Manitoba's potential development. (Note:
Medium-term in the construction of
hydroelectric facilities means at least 10
years).
"Tell us what we have to do"
---------------------------
¶3. Manitoba is clearly very interested in
supplying new demand in the U.S. Midwest, but
there is no way to get the power there.
Manitoba Energy Minister Sale put it best when
he said, "Tell us what we have to do." The
lack of east-west transmission capability in
the upper Midwest is one of the most
significant problems Manitoba faces in
exporting large quantities of power to the
United States. The energy Minister explained
that the North American electricity market is
divided into largely self-sufficient clusters,
with only a minimum amount of interconnection
between them. The upper Midwest (including
Minnesota and the Dakotas) is one "cluster"
while Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana is
another. Interconnectivity is weak between the
two, and as a result it is impossible to move
electricity - in any great quantities - to
Milwaukee and Chicago. Manitoba Hydro began
full operations in February 2002 with the
Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO)
organization, permitting open wholesale
transmission access to the Midwest market.
Although MISO holds out the promise of expanded
access to Midwest markets, Manitoba is
disappointed with the lack of any progress to
date in expanding transmission facilities
between the upper Midwest (Minnesota and the
Dakotas) and the adjacent markets to the south
and east.
¶4. Manitoba Hydro has been exporting
electricity to the United States since 1970,
and consistently ranks among the top three
exporters of electricity among Canadian
provinces (behind Quebec and British Columbia),
exporting over 8.8 terawatt hours in 2001-2002.
Currently, Manitoba Hydro has nine long-term
export trade agreements with six electric
utilities and numerous short-term agreements
with more than 30 electric utilities and
marketers in the Midwestern United States, as
well as the Canadian provinces of Ontario and
Saskatchewan. In July 2002, Manitoba Hydro
contracted with Northern States Power (Xcel
Energy) of Minnesota to sell 500 megawatts of
power over 10 years, beginning in 2006, which
replaces a similar 12-year deal between the two
utilities that expires in 2005.
Kyoto - Fiasco to Some, Opportunities to Others
--------------------------------------------- --
¶5. Although Canada's petroleum industry in
Alberta and Saskatchewan, and its manufacturing
heartland of Ontario, stand to be hurt by the
emission control measures likely to flow from
GOC implementation of Kyoto, Manitoba sees
opportunities. The province views itself as
having a natural advantage in its "clean"
surplus hydro-generated electricity and in
developing peripheral energy industries in
ethanol - to capitalize on Manitoba's surplus
of feed wheat - as well as an innovative
proposal by the Ottawa-based Iogene company to
derive ethanol from straw. The GOM is also
promoting development of hydrogen and wind
energy sources, which it views as complementary
to its hydro resources.
¶6. Manitoba's left-of-center New Democratic
Party (NDP) government has been a staunch
supporter of the Kyoto Accord for a number of
years. Manitoba Premier Gary Doer has
consistently been the Prime Minister's
strongest advocate among the Premiers for
Canada's ratification of the deal. Manitoba
hopes to leverage the resulting goodwill into
GOC support for a C$1 billion transmission line
that would allow Manitoba to sell surplus
hydroelectricity to Ontario, Canada's
industrial heartland. (Note: There is
currently no large-scale transmission
capability between Manitoba and southern
Ontario). This possibility has been raised
repeatedly in recent years, and Manitoba Energy
Minister Tim Sale traveled to Ottawa in January
to press the GOC on the issue. Prime Minister
Chretien has at times expressed interest in
this idea, but his preference is a privately
financed new north-south connection to the U.S.
¶7. Although as a government-owned utility
Manitoba Hydro is exempt from taxation, the NDP
government has increasingly turned to the
utility as a revenue source, tapping it for
C$354 million this year in fees, services
charges, and a special "dividend" payment to
help the government balance its budget. The
NDP government has given strong signals that it
plans to build new generating facilities in
northern Manitoba, but must secure additional
export markets with long-term contracts to
justify the capital expense. The province has
also indicated a preference for building
smaller projects like Wuskwatim (200 mw) or
Gull (600 mw) before the large-scale Conawapa
Dam (1400 mw). The Wuskwatim project will cost
about C$1 billion and take at least 10 years to
build.
Environmental Concerns Are Muted
--------------------------------
¶8. Manitoba Energy Minister Sale admitted to
us that the hydro-electric generating
facilities constructed in the 1960s were built
too big and caused extensive environmental
damage to traditional Indian hunting and
fishing grounds in northern Manitoba. One of
the affected bands, Cross Lake, continues to
fight a public relations battle with Manitoba
Hydro, especially in the Minnesota market, even
after Manitoba Hydro provided Cross Lake C$70
million in compensation. Manitoba Hydro has
settled with the other four bands that were
affected by the flooding and the vast majority
of Manitoba Indian bands are supportive of
hydro-electricity development. Minister Sale
speculated that the Cross Lake band is being
"used" by U.S. environmental groups who - he
says - oppose any and all hydro-electricity
expansion as a matter of principle. He
believes that Canadian environmental groups
have more of a mixed reaction to the Cross Lake
concerns, and he is confident that the smaller
projects like Wuskwatim could proceed with
little effective opposition from domestic
groups.
What next?
----------
¶9. Manitoba Hydro has immense hydro-
electricity potential that could be developed
with relatively little environmental impact.
Even the construction of hundreds of miles of
transmission lines from the remote northern
generating stations to the U.S. border raises
few eyebrows here. Manitoba Hydro officials
are aware of immense opportunities for sales of
hydroelectricity in the United States, but have
not had significant success in expanding beyond
their relatively small base of supplying power
to several upper Midwest states. In addition
to the limits imposed by existing transmission
capacity, the partially de-regulated U.S.
electricity utilities are not interested in the
long-term contracts Manitoba Hydro would need
to justify the construction of new dams or
enhanced transmission cables.
¶10. Currently, Manitoba hopes that its support
for the Kyoto Accord will result in a federally
funded transmission line to take Manitoba's
electricity to Ontario - replacing "dirtier"
forms of energy generation there - but the
federal government has made no commitment.
Manitoba sees some opportunities for exports to
Canada's western provinces, but the quantities
are relatively small, and again the
transmission lines are inadequate to handle
much more traffic.
Comment
-------
¶11. Manitoba is committed to developing its
hydroelectric generation potential and will
ultimately find markets for it output, given
its low cost of generation and relatively low
barriers (compared to other jurisdictions) to
transmission line construction. The question
that remains is who will get it. There is an
open window of opportunity for border states of
the U.S. Midwest to work with Manitoba to
overcome obstacles posed by transmission
limitations and industry restructuring - and
get a guaranteed supply of potentially low-cost
electricity from a nearby source. However, if
American utilities miss this opportunity,
Canadians will find a way to get Manitoba's
abundant and inexpensive electricity to the
Canadian heartland of Ontario where the
appetite is equally large.
CELLUCCI