Summary
If a decision were made to adopt the east route, both Hydro and the government would immediately have to start negotiations with the First Nations whose lands would be affected by such a route. From our recent experience at such meetings, and from precedents not just in Manitoba but elsewhere in Canada, these would be long and arduous negotiations.
Just recall that it cost Manitoba Hydro $400 million to resolve its earlier disputes with First Nations. In all likelihood, the east route could cost Hydro far more than this, and the only "savings" Hydro may get would be the $250 million from lesser line losses. The Bipole III Transmission Routing Study, a consultant's report commissioned by Manitoba Hydro, contains dire warnings about the consequences from international environmental groups if Hydro cuts a swath through the boreal forest for a transmission line. This is not a figment of the government's imagination -- in the worst case scenario it could imperil Hydro's billions of dollars of exports. To talk endlessly about $650 million of savings and not address a serious potential problem is irresponsible. The least they could do is to explain how they would deal with this problem if the east route were selected.See the full content of this document
Extract
East Route Reality Checks
John Ryan
East route reality checksAdvocates of the east route transmission line keep repeating the mantra that this would lead to "a saving of at least $650 million." This assertion keeps being repeated over and o...See the full content of this document
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