Inspections lead to controlled shutdown at Jenpeg Generating Station

On February 11, 2024, Manitoba Hydro took all six generating units out of service at Jenpeg Generating Station after a crack on the Unit 4 rotor was discovered during a repair in late January. The outage will have no impact on Manitoba Hydro’s ability to meet the needs of wholesale markets in Canada and the United States.

Further inspection revealed similar cracks in Unit 2 and Unit 6, and based on the conditions of the three units, the decision was made to temporarily shut down all six units. This will allow Manitoba Hydro to conduct more comprehensive inspections.

Jenpeg Generating Station in January 2024.

The results of these inspections will determine the nature and scope of the repairs required, and the utility said it does not yet know the duration of the shutdown. Manitoba Hydro continues to operate the spillway at Jenpeg to maintain appropriate outflows from Lake Winnipeg into the Nelson River system.

There is no risk to plant security, the environment, or human health and safety as a result of the shutdown.

Construction on Jenpeg started in 1972 and was completed in 1979. Its powerhouse and spillway structures allow regulation of water flows throughout the Manitoba Hydro hydroelectric system — namely, the water flowing out of Lake Winnipeg into the Nelson River.