Manitoba Hydro signs 20-year deal with SaskPower

ManitobaHydro andSaskPowerhave inked a 20-year hydroelectricitydeal.

The agreement will see a minimum of 100 megawatts ofelectricity enough to power 40,000 homes flow from Manitoba to Saskatchewan annually, beginning in 2020.

Manitoba Premier GregSelingersaid the deal will help the province's economy while, at the same time, providing enough revenue to keep Manitoba's hydro rates down.

The deal will require 18 per cent of the energy generatedfrom the still-under-constructionKeeyaskstation on the Nelson River in northern Manitoba.Approximately 750 people are at work onKeeyaskwith peak employment expected to reach approximately 1,400 workers in the summers of 2016 and 2017, the provincesaid.

"The energy we will supply toSaskPoweris clean, renewable hydroelectricity that is surplus to the needs of Manitobans.The revenues from the sale will assist in offsetting the costs ofKeeyaskand keep rates low for our customers in Manitoba," saidManitoba Hydrointerim president and CEODarrenRainkie.

As part of theSaskPoweragreement, anew 80-kilometre-long,230,000-volttransmission line willbe built between Birtle, Man., and Tantallon, Sask.