Project overview
We have begun the procurement process for Indigenous majority-owned wind projects that help us meet a 600 megawatt target.
Enlarge image: Two large wind towers in the middle of a Manitoba canola field.
As part of The Manitoba Affordable Energy Plan, we’re planning the procurement process for Indigenous majority-owned wind projects that will help us meet the increasing needs of Manitobans. Our 2023 Integrated Resource Plan highlights an urgent need for new generation in the province, as demand in Manitoba could more than double in the next 20 years. These new wind generating resources will increase our supply of energy, support economic development, and further the efforts outlined in our Indigenous Relations Commitment Statement.
We are planning to procure up to 600 megawatts of new wind energy in southern Manitoba through one or more power purchase agreements and as part of this initiative, each individual wind farm could generate up to 200 megawatts.
Each new wind farm must be majority owned by an Indigenous Nation (or multiple Nations) in Manitoba, and we will purchase the electricity from each facility.
To be eligible, a wind farm will need to connect to our grid by establishing a point of interconnection within a 20km radius to one of the 14 existing substations identified on the map below:
There are 14 possible substations that wind farms can establish a point of interconnection to.
Timeline
These dates are subject to change:
- notice of intended procurement*: February 17, 2025
- wind symposium: March 19, 2025
- expression of interest (EOI) issued on MERX: spring 2025
- request for proposals (RFP) issued on MERX: summer 2025
- RFP closing: fall 2025
- announcement of successful bids: spring 2026
We are pursuing an expedited schedule for at least one wind farm with commercial operation as early as 2029. Construction schedules would be expected to begin as early as spring 2027.
* Details of this notice are available on MERX.
Stay updated on this project
All procurement updates, documents, and project activities will be posted on MERX to be consistent with our procurement practices.
We'll also post some project updates on this page.
See our presentation from the March 19 wind symposium** (PDF, 6.3 MB).
Manitoba Hydro Wind Symposium - March 19, 2025
Hosted at the RBC Convention Centre, the Wind Symposium was an event designed to kickstart the next phase of procurement for Indigenous majority-owned wind projects. It brought together potential wind developers and Indigenous communities to hear presentations from Manitoba Hydro, the provincial government, and the Canada Infrastructure Bank about how the procurement process will work.
** This document does not meet our minimum requirements for accessibility. You may request accessible formats online.
Independent power process
Energy from generation stations capable of generating more than ten megawatts are only being considered through this Wind Call for Power Project.
Proposals from independent power producers capable of generating ten megawatts or less may be submitted to us at independentpower@hydro.mb.ca.
What you wanted to know
We have taken your feedback and compiled additional information on the following topics.
Details and/or timelines about the Expression of Interest process
The next phase in the project timeline is the Expression of Interest (EOI). Details and criteria are still under development; however, the EOI will include additional helpful information for potential proponents. The plan is to issue the EOI later this spring.
Responding to the Expression of Interest
It is not mandatory to respond to the EOI; however we strongly encourage all interested parties to reply because it will help us understand the level of interest in our market.
Access to project information on MERX, including updates and future postings, will be available to the public regardless of your participation in the EOI.
Power Purchase Agreement process
Key terms of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) are expected to be available with the release of the EOI. We are also developing a “pro-forma” PPA which will be available in a later phase of the project. Details, including the overall PPA process, will be released in later stages of the procurement process.
Ownership of new transmission interconnection lines
We will own any new transmission lines that connect our grid to the point of interconnection for the wind generation station.
Interconnection requests and the resource solicitation process
The resource solicitation process begins when all bids have been submitted to us. We, acting as the Solicitor, will submit all interconnection requests simultaneously to transmission services to conduct a resource solicitation study.
The resource solicitation study will be conducted using the interconnection request information provided in the proponent’s bid.
Individual proponents are not expected to interact directly with transmission services unless and until we inform transmission services that those proponents have been selected as a successful bidder. Successful bidders will then move to the interconnection facilities study phase under our Open Access Interconnection Tariff.
Proponents who have submitted interconnection requests for wind prior to the RFP will need to suspend such requests in order to participate in the resource solicitation study. No advantage or priority in the RFP will be afforded to any entity directly submitting an interconnection request prior to the RFP.
An overview of the resource solicitation process is in the wind symposium presentation (PDF, 6.3 MB) and starts at slide 39.
For more information, read our Open Access Interconnection Tariff (OAIT) (PDF, 1.5 MB).
Exploratory study results for interconnection customers
We have published exploratory study results to provide prospective interconnection customers with a rough approximation of the costs associated with the interconnection of a facility and delivery of energy from a facility to Manitoba load based on a range of facility sizes and locations throughout the Province of Manitoba.
Read the final exploratory study results (PDF, 998 KB).
Further bid submission requirements – including the treatment of transmission losses, if applicable – will be released in later stages of the procurement process.
Minimum size allowed for a single wind generation facility
Each individual wind generation facility must be sized no larger than 200 MW in nameplate capacity. We expect to release information about minimum facility sizing in the upcoming Expression of Interest.
Environmental Assessment and Licensing Process
Successful wind generation projects will be subject to the Province of Manitoba’s environmental assessment and licensing process under The Environment Act. Read more about this process on the provincial government's website.