Volume 2, Issue 2
Building Keeyask builds opportunities
Through On-the-Job Training programs, Keeyask Cree Nation community members are gaining skills and education to advance in their professions, including the individuals here who all work in various jobs with BBE Ltd. the General Civil Contractor for Keeyask. From left: George Lundie, Monica Genaille, Sean Shlachetka, Alaina Richard, Larris Beardy, Vincent Cook, Vienna Fetterly, Brandon Head, Northwind Colomb, Evan Tumak, Francine Spence, Quentin Towns, and Lisa Mayham.
Keeyask Generating Station achieves major milestones
Construction on new renewable energy project progressing well. Construction on Manitoba’s newest hydropower facility, the 695-megawatt Keeyask Generating Station, is moving ahead to meet and potentially exceed the project’s 2019 construction goals. Located on the lower Nelson River in northern Manitoba, the progress on Keeyask’s earthworks and concrete is helping move the project into the next phase of construction, which includes installation of specialized mechanical and electrical systems, installation of turbine and generator components, as well as connections to the transmission grid, with the goal of working toward the commissioning of the generators in the coming months.
Manitoba Hydro taking the lead on reservoir emissions research
By displacing energy with higher carbon emissions, Manitoba hydropower can reduce the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) entering our atmosphere, helping mitigate climate change. That’s something we’re proud of. Hydropower generation is an extremely low-carbon energy source. While some emissions inevitably result from construction, maintenance and day-to-day operation of the utility and its facilities, Manitoba’s abundant and powerful rivers allow us to provide our customers with ample clean, dispatchable, and renewable electricity that is virtually free of GHGs.
Providing power alongside some prehistoric pals: how Hydro works with Lake Sturgeon
Manitoba Hydro has been operating hydropower stations for over 100 years. While that may sound like a long time, it pales in comparison to a much older river resident: Lake Sturgeon. Lake Sturgeon, called Namao in Cree, is a prehistoric freshwater fish that is considered a “living fossil”. They were a staple of Manitoba lakes and rivers and Indigenous cultures long before Canada existed.
Sorry for the delay!
Our apologies for the delay getting this edition of The Hydro Current to you. An unparalleled storm tore through Manitoba Oct. 11 to 14 and caused more damage to our system than we’ve ever seen. Extremely high winds and heavy, wet snow caused widespread outages across the province: over 160,000 customers (just over 25% of everyone we deliver electricity to) experienced a power outage at some point during the storm, with many customers experiencing more than one service disruption.