Time for 21st century leadership at MB Hydro

Manitoba Hydro now has an opportunity to make a significant change in leadership, following the recent resignation of its CEO Alan Danroth. The corporation has been on the wrong path, prioritizing fossil fuels while ignoring the global clean energy transition. Despite the propaganda claiming otherwise, Manitoba Hydro's strategy has been to invest heavily in methane (natural) gas generating stations, spending at least $3 billion on infrastructure that may not be utilized often.

This approach is counterproductive as the economy shifts towards electrification, and more fossil fuel-based power plants will be needed to support this change.

For a more modern approach, one need only look at the success of Quebec Hydro and BC Hydro. Both have aggressively pursued wind power, with Quebec Hydro already having 4,000 MW in place and a further 10,000 MW scheduled by 2035, and BC Hydro with 700 MW and another 1,500 MW slated by 2032/33. In contrast, Manitoba Hydro has only installed 258 MW, with another 600 MW planned for 2035.

Both Quebec and BC are also investing in grid-scale batteries to store intermittent wind and solar power, significantly increasing the reliability of their renewable energy sources.

To truly move toward a 21st century economy, Manitoba Hydro needs a new CEO who comes from a clean energy sector, rather than the fossil fuel industry. The previous CEO, Danroth, was from Capital Power, which is 85-90% powered by methane gas. It is clear that MB Hydro has not been proactive in promoting the clean energy transition, as evidenced by its lack of EV charging infrastructure and charging stations.

A new CEO should prioritize building a robust wind, solar, geothermal, and storage division to ensure Manitoba Hydro is at the forefront of the clean energy revolution.