Manitoba Hydro and the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association (MHBA) have worked together to speed up energy hook-ups for new home construction, helping member builders address the needs of their customers while reducing hurdles in the previous energy connection process.
A new agreement between the two parties is now seeing Manitoba Hydro energize new homes within five days of passing final electrical and gas inspections.
The changes are part of the province’s energy policy as outlined in the Affordable Energy Plan, to help Manitoba meet housing needs faster and keep rates affordable by helping to grow Manitoba’s economy.
“These changes significantly speed up the completion of new-built homes,” said Allan Danroth, President and CEO of Manitoba Hydro. “We’re pleased to be part of this successful collaboration with MHBA, to the benefit of all Manitobans.”
Lanny McInnes, President of the MHBA said the changes are something the home builders are excited about. “Ensuring new homes are energized as quickly as possible reduces construction delays and improves predictability for both home builders and their customers,” said McInnes.
Other changes in the works include Manitoba Hydro and the MHBA implementing enhanced early servicing of new home sites. This involves Manitoba Hydro installing the basic electric and natural gas infrastructure much earlier in the construction process, so it is ready to energize more quickly once inspections are passed. These changes will initially be rolled out in Winnipeg, Selkirk and Steinbach only.
Communication is key, and an additional change will see Manitoba Hydro inspectors and advisors, and MHBA members, having access to a new online portal to schedule service installations, ensure building sites are ready to receive service, and check the status of service requests and inspections.
The utility has been working with the MHBA over the past number of months to make these improvements. This included running a small “test and learn” process with select MHBA members to identify areas for improvement and develop new processes for closing process and communication gaps.
“We always want to ensure we are working in the best interests of all our customers, including home builders and their clients,” said Danroth. “We’ve gotten a lot done in a short time, and even more improvements are underway, which will further help the industry.”
“Our members appreciate the commitment Manitoba Hydro has made to speeding up energy hook-ups for new home construction,” McInnes added. “And we are committed to working together to meet these commitments.”
For more information, please contact:
Lanny McInnes
President & CEO, Manitoba Home Builders’ Association
204-925-2564
lmcinnes@homebuilders.mb.ca
Scott Powell
Director, Corporate Communications, Manitoba Hydro
204-299-8849
spowell@hydro.mb.ca
