Wisconsin’s governor says he’s confident Manitoba’s Hydro power will count toward his state’s bid to go green.
Gov. Jim Doyle spoke at a Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce breakfast this morning and is now on his way up to Gillam to tour Manitoba Hydro dams, including the site of the proposed Conawapa generating station.
Last month, Wisconsin Public Service, a private power firm serving the state’s northeast, agreed to buy 500 megawatts of power from Manitoba Hydro, a deal that mandates the construction of the long-planned Conawapa dam.
Like Minnesota, Wisconsin is mired in a debate over whether Manitoba Hydro’s power is green enough and can count toward that state’s “25 by 25” goal that stipulates that a quarter of its power will come from renewable sources by 2025.
At issue is whether Manitoba Hydro’s past dealings with northern First Nations, whose traditional lands were destroyed by flooding from the last generation of dams, ought to preclude it from Wisconsin’s green energy portfolio. Environmental groups and First Nations say yes, but Doyle says no.
“To me it’s pretty basic. Renewable is renewable,” said Doyle. “We’re not in the business of coming down here and criticizing how you’ve handled tribal relations because Lord knows you could probably come and criticize us.”
The state’s climate change task force has been pondering the issue and is expected to make its recommendations soon. Doyle said he’s confident it will recommend that hydro dams count as green power.
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