Manitoba's premier, Wab Kinew, says the province may need to spend far less than previously thought on new power plants. He said the Manitoba Public Utilities Board has concluded that one natural gas-fired turbine is needed for now, at a cost of about $1 billion.

That conclusion stands in sharp contrast to the position of Manitoba Hydro, the Crown corporation, which has maintained that three turbines, costing $3 billion, are needed to meet peak demands within a few years. The utilities board submitted its findings in a report to the government earlier this week, following lengthy hearings over the summer.S1S2

Kinew said Manitoba Hydro has not yet seen the report, and he did not say when the government would make it public. He argued the news is good for both the province's finances and the environment.S1S2