Consumer advocate promises to scrutinize proposed Manitoba Hydro rate hike

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 31, 2025 7:24 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

A user advocator is promising heavy scrutinize a Manitoba Hydro proposal to rise energy rates astir 11 per cent implicit 3 years.

The provincial Crown corp applied on Friday for a bid of 3 yearly energy complaint hikes of 3.5 per cent, opening successful 2026.

In an exertion to the Public Utilities Board, Hydro said it needs to rise rates to work $24.6 cardinal worthy of indebtedness and a $31-billion tab implicit the adjacent 2 decades to repair aging infrastructure — including 2 of its 3 main transmission lines — and make much generating capacity.

Katrine Dilay, a Public Interest Law Centre lawyer who works connected behalf of the Manitoba subdivision of the Consumers Association of Canada, suggested Hydro's fiscal challenges do not warrant a rubber stamp connected its program to rise rates by astir 11 per cent.

"The important fiscal pressures are beforehand of mind, so we privation to guarantee that we person a beardown Crown corp who provides reliable, prime services, but besides that they're doing their occupation to marque definite that rates are conscionable and tenable and not 1 cent more," Dilay said Monday successful an interview.

For the past 5 months, Dilay has questioned the fiscal contented of a Manitoba Hydro's complaint frost successful 2025, arguing it mightiness beryllium wiser to rise rates modestly this twelvemonth alternatively of being forced into a steeper hike successful consequent years.

Manitoba's NDP authorities promised a complaint frost adjacent though decisions astir rates are acceptable by the Public Utilities Board, not elected officials.

Lawyer, Opposition question NDP moves

The NDP government has nevertheless taken recognition for a one-year frost by virtuousness of the information Manitoba Hydro did not use for any changes to energy rates for this calendar year.

"We've worked intimately with Hydro executives to bring successful a one-year period, 2025, wherever we're going to spot nary Hydro complaint increases," Adrien Sala, the minister liable for Manitoba Hydro, said Monday successful an interview.

Dilay described immoderate effort to bypass the Public Utilities Board's public-hearing process as problematic.

"To spot decisions being made that are not flowing from those nationalist processes, that are not based successful the grounds and without input from the nationalist — that's wherever the problems travel from," she said.

Manitoba's Progressive Conservative absorption went further, accused the NDP authorities of "meddling" with Manitoba Hydro and breaking its ain rate-freeze promise.

"I deliberation they're going to accidental 1 happening to get elected and different happening erstwhile they're successful power," interim PC person Wayne Ewasko said Momday successful an interview.

Hydro spokesperson Peter Chura said the Crown corporation's complaint hike would person been adjacent higher if the 2025-26 did not see plans to trim gross fees paid by Hydro to the province.