No plans to phase out natural gas by 2035: Premier

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This article was published 03/04/2025 (359 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba government does not plan to phase out natural gas from the Brandon Generating Station by 2035 as previously hoped, Premier Wab Kinew said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference at the Maple Leaf Foods plant in Brandon, Kinew confirmed that there are no plans to stop natural-gas production in Brandon in the next 10 years. The premier’s statement clarified the NDP’s position on the future of the power station, which has been unclear following a mandate letter Kinew wrote in 2023 that encouraged cabinet to strive for a net-zero energy grid.

“That’s not the case anymore,” Kinew said. “(We’re not) going to take anything away in terms of power generating capacity here in the Westman region.”

The premier told reporters that the province is focused on meeting demand. Manitoba Hydro expects the public to increase its use of electricity in the next few years — and the priority, Kinew said, is ensuring that power is available.

“If you ever turn the light switch, or try to put the thermostat up, and it doesn’t work in the winter, it’s going to be the most important thing to you during a Manitoba January or February,” he said.

“Reliability is something that most of us don’t think about, but it’s the most important thing in the world when it’s not there.”

As previously reported, Manitoba Hydro has applied for approval to plan for up to 500 megawatts of additional dispatchable thermal capacity, which could be located in Brandon, though no decision has been made about the location or what type of fuel would be used.

Manitoba Hydro spokesperson Peter Chura also told the Sun on Wednesday the Crown corporation is not considering any changes to the Brandon Generating Station. Kinew had previously asked Finance Minister Adrien Sala to phase out on-demand use of the Brandon plant as part of the province’s goal to reduce emissions.

Sala told the Sun early in March that no final decision had been made. At the time, he said the province was still weighing options.

Expanded energy production, currently sought after by Manitoba Hydro, is being planned to meet higher electricity demand expected by 2030. This would address peak periods of energy use — listed by Manitoba Hydro as the winter months of January and February when electricity is used to heat homes and businesses.

The provincial Crown corporation is currently preparing its 2025 Integrated Resource Plan, which will outline recommendations for new energy supply and grid expansion. This report will also address the future of the Brandon Generating Station.

“Non-renewables are expected to remain part of our energy profile,” Hydro spokesperson Chura said in March. “Responsible stewardship of these resources is key to protecting our environment and our families as we move toward our net-zero targets.”

Brandon is also set to receive a 100-megawatt hydro upgrade by 2027 amid this transition, as part of a broader effort to enhance transmission capacity in the region.

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com, with files from Abiola Odutola