A publication of 
September 21, 2009
Vol. 1, Issue 5
Moving Upstream in Manitoba
Bob Brennan, president and CEO of Winnipeg-based Manitoba Hydro, is not a big proponent of renewable portfolio standards – at least not in his home province. “Our product is renewable because we are all hydroelectric, and it is extremely cost effective,” he says.
M
anitoba Hydro President and CEO Bob Brennan likes the view from his company’s new 22-story headquarters building in downtown Winnipeg — and it’s not just because he has a commanding perspective of the city’s skyline.
Brennan likes what he sees for several reasons. In an era of increasing pressure for utilities to adopt alternative energy sources like wind and solar, Manitoba Hydro is proving that good, old-fashioned hydroelectric power still can be used effectively, efficiently and safely to keep the lights on at homes, offices and factories across a province of 1.2 million people.
“People ask me if I am a big fan of renewable portfolio standards, and I tell them that my answer is no, at least not in Manitoba,” says Brennan. “Our product is renewable because we are all hydroelectric, and it is extremely cost effective. Hydro supplies the entire province.”
With 5,100 megawatts of generating capacity, the Crown Corporation has enough left over to export, and it is planning to produce even more power soon.
Manitoba Hydro is investing more than US$937 million to create 200 megawatts of capacity at the Wuskwatim Generating Station near Thompson, a small Northern Manitoba city that’s roughly 500 miles (805 kilometers) north of Winnipeg.
“Energy is what’s most important to us, and this new plant will have a very high load factor,” Brennan says.
The first new hydro station to be erected in Manitoba since the Limestone plant was built in the early 1990s, Wuskwatim is being constructed along the Burntwood River 28 miles (45 km.) southwest of Thompson, a well-known mining outpost. The project, which is employing 700 workers during construction, is slated for completion in 2011.
“It is quite small compared to what we normally build, but it will help us sell additional power in the export market,” adds Brennan.
There is nothing small, however, about the company or its new headquarters.
The $2.1-billion company employs 5,800 people, about 2,000 of whom are relocating to Manitoba Hydro Place at 360 Portage Avenue in downtown Winnipeg. The $281-million, 690,000-sq.-ft. (64,101-sq.-m.) building not only serves as the new corporate headquarters for the utility; it signifies a new era in energy conservation.
“This building demonstrates what we are telling our customers to do. We are saving energy in dramatic fashion,” says Brennan. “It allows us to reduce our energy use by 65 percent, compared to a conventional building.”
The unique design and energy efficiency of the facility were the main reasons it was selected as the Best Tall Building of 2009 for the Americas by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. The award recognizes Manitoba Hydro Place as the overall best office tower in the Americas for design, space quality, urbanism, sustainability and energy efficiency, according to the council.
“This type of recognition is great because it promotes what can be achieved today in building sustainable design and energy efficiency, even in a very challenging climate,” said Tom Gouldsborough, division manager of corporate services for Manitoba Hydro and project manager for the new facility, which was designed by KPMB Architects.
“It has all kinds of features that are really effective for our employees,” Brennan notes. “There is fresh air coming into the building every hour of the day, and there is a lot of natural light. The facility is virtually all glass. It is heated and cooled geothermally, reducing the amount of motors and mechanical equipment.”
Brennan adds that the new building aids his company’s goal of improving the provincial economy. Making downtown Winnipeg more enticing to other companies, he notes, is part of that strategy.
“We try to complement other efforts in Manitoba by working to facilitate industrial projects locating here,” he says. “We help people primarily by offering some of the lowest electric utility rates in North America. We take it as one of our mandates.”
At 4.9 cents per kilowatt hour (in U.S. equivalency), the rates in Manitoba are well below those found in British Columbia, Quebec, Wyoming, West Virginia, Utah, Nebraska and Kentucky — all places known for their low-cost power.
“The biggest trend we see in economic development right now are companies looking for new export opportunities,” Brennan says. “That is affecting us. People exporting steel, for example, are being hurt quite badly as demand softens in many markets.”
The good news for Manitoba, says Brennan, is that activity in the mining sector remains brisk. “Nickel, copper, zinc and gold are all still charging along, and that is very good for many industries in Manitoba,” he notes.
Manitoba Hydro’s economic development arm also supports a number of initiatives aimed at increasing the province’s competitiveness. Among them are a new inland port project and a chamber marketing campaign.
CentrePort Canada is a new Winnipeg inland port being planned around the capital city’s James Armstrong Richardson International Airport. The 20,000-acre (8,100-hectare) project is designed to make Winnipeg more attractive to companies seeking a Central North American location.
“Selling Winnipeg to the World,” meanwhile, is an initiative of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. The goal of the program is to “create significant private sector growth and development” throughout the greater Winnipeg region.
Brennan says Winnipeg has a lot to offer. “We have good, reliable and inexpensive power. We are more than competitive with the best locations in North America,” he says. “We have a very good supply of natural gas for industrial customers that need a healthy supply of it. We have a very strong labor market, we are in the heart of the continent, and our transportation assets are as competitive as you will find anywhere in Canada.”
Brennan says he bristles when anyone suggests that Manitoba may be somewhat remote for certain business operations.
“Remote?” he asks. “That is not an issue. We are one hour from the American border here in Winnipeg. People would be very surprised once they came to Manitoba.”
Brennan likes what he sees for several reasons. In an era of increasing pressure for utilities to adopt alternative energy sources like wind and solar, Manitoba Hydro is proving that good, old-fashioned hydroelectric power still can be used effectively, efficiently and safely to keep the lights on at homes, offices and factories across a province of 1.2 million people.
“People ask me if I am a big fan of renewable portfolio standards, and I tell them that my answer is no, at least not in Manitoba,” says Brennan. “Our product is renewable because we are all hydroelectric, and it is extremely cost effective. Hydro supplies the entire province.”
With 5,100 megawatts of generating capacity, the Crown Corporation has enough left over to export, and it is planning to produce even more power soon.
Manitoba Hydro is investing more than US$937 million to create 200 megawatts of capacity at the Wuskwatim Generating Station near Thompson, a small Northern Manitoba city that’s roughly 500 miles (805 kilometers) north of Winnipeg.
“Energy is what’s most important to us, and this new plant will have a very high load factor,” Brennan says.
The first new hydro station to be erected in Manitoba since the Limestone plant was built in the early 1990s, Wuskwatim is being constructed along the Burntwood River 28 miles (45 km.) southwest of Thompson, a well-known mining outpost. The project, which is employing 700 workers during construction, is slated for completion in 2011.
“It is quite small compared to what we normally build, but it will help us sell additional power in the export market,” adds Brennan.
There is nothing small, however, about the company or its new headquarters.
The $2.1-billion company employs 5,800 people, about 2,000 of whom are relocating to Manitoba Hydro Place at 360 Portage Avenue in downtown Winnipeg. The $281-million, 690,000-sq.-ft. (64,101-sq.-m.) building not only serves as the new corporate headquarters for the utility; it signifies a new era in energy conservation.
“This building demonstrates what we are telling our customers to do. We are saving energy in dramatic fashion,” says Brennan. “It allows us to reduce our energy use by 65 percent, compared to a conventional building.”
Leading by Example
Manitoba Hydro Place is the new corporate headquarters facility for Manitoba Hydro. The downtown Winnipeg building rises 22 stories above the capital city and will soon be home to nearly 2,000 company employees. The structure has won international acclaim for its design and sustainability.
“This type of recognition is great because it promotes what can be achieved today in building sustainable design and energy efficiency, even in a very challenging climate,” said Tom Gouldsborough, division manager of corporate services for Manitoba Hydro and project manager for the new facility, which was designed by KPMB Architects.
“It has all kinds of features that are really effective for our employees,” Brennan notes. “There is fresh air coming into the building every hour of the day, and there is a lot of natural light. The facility is virtually all glass. It is heated and cooled geothermally, reducing the amount of motors and mechanical equipment.”
Brennan adds that the new building aids his company’s goal of improving the provincial economy. Making downtown Winnipeg more enticing to other companies, he notes, is part of that strategy.
“We try to complement other efforts in Manitoba by working to facilitate industrial projects locating here,” he says. “We help people primarily by offering some of the lowest electric utility rates in North America. We take it as one of our mandates.”
At 4.9 cents per kilowatt hour (in U.S. equivalency), the rates in Manitoba are well below those found in British Columbia, Quebec, Wyoming, West Virginia, Utah, Nebraska and Kentucky — all places known for their low-cost power.
“The biggest trend we see in economic development right now are companies looking for new export opportunities,” Brennan says. “That is affecting us. People exporting steel, for example, are being hurt quite badly as demand softens in many markets.”
The good news for Manitoba, says Brennan, is that activity in the mining sector remains brisk. “Nickel, copper, zinc and gold are all still charging along, and that is very good for many industries in Manitoba,” he notes.
Supporting Economic Development
The Wuskwatim Generating Station represents the first new hydro station to be built in Manitoba since the early 1990s. The plant, upon completion in 2011, will add 200 megawatts of generating capacity to Manitoba Hydro’s 5,100 megawatts of total capacity.
CentrePort Canada is a new Winnipeg inland port being planned around the capital city’s James Armstrong Richardson International Airport. The 20,000-acre (8,100-hectare) project is designed to make Winnipeg more attractive to companies seeking a Central North American location.
“Selling Winnipeg to the World,” meanwhile, is an initiative of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. The goal of the program is to “create significant private sector growth and development” throughout the greater Winnipeg region.
Brennan says Winnipeg has a lot to offer. “We have good, reliable and inexpensive power. We are more than competitive with the best locations in North America,” he says. “We have a very good supply of natural gas for industrial customers that need a healthy supply of it. We have a very strong labor market, we are in the heart of the continent, and our transportation assets are as competitive as you will find anywhere in Canada.”
Brennan says he bristles when anyone suggests that Manitoba may be somewhat remote for certain business operations.
“Remote?” he asks. “That is not an issue. We are one hour from the American border here in Winnipeg. People would be very surprised once they came to Manitoba.”
All Photos are Courtesy of Manitoba Hydro
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©2009 Conway Data, Inc. All rights reserved. SiteNet data is from many sources and not warranted to be accurate or current.
©2009 Conway Data, Inc. All rights reserved. SiteNet data is from many sources and not warranted to be accurate or current.