The Provincial government of Manitoba has issued two licences for the construction of the 200MW Wuskwatim hydroelectric project in the northern part of the Canadian province.
The province approved a licence for the generating station and a transmission project licence for the US$1B project. The first licence allows the construction and operation of the generating station and related dams, control structures, roads and other infrastructure. The transmission licence allows the construction of three transmission line segments, new transmission stations at Wuskwatim and Beechtree, near Thompson, and modifications to existing stations. A third licence – a water power licence which would be issued by Manitoba Water Stewardship – is expected to be approved shortly.
The province’s Clean Environment Commission recommended in October 2004 that the licences be approved. All the licenses were issued after Members of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) voted recently in favour of partnering with Manitoba Hydro to build the Wuskwatim generating station.
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