WINNIPEG — Manitoba is looking at boosting wind power and encouraging conservation as part of a new long-term energy strategy at Crown-owned Manitoba Hydro.

The utility says it will need to at least double its current generating capacity in the coming decades as demand grows for clean electricity.

Manitoba Hydro board chair Edward Kennedy says new generating stations are not the solution in the medium term, but more wind power and more capacity to store energy are key parts of the answer.

Kennedy also says there will be a new push to encourage people to use energy outside peak periods.

He says that could include smart meters and charging people different rates at different times of the day.

Premier Heather Stefanson says Manitoba Hydro’s debt is already significant, and attracting new businesses and growing the economy will help pay it off.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2023

The Canadian Press