Manitoba Hydro is considering building a public network of electric vehicle chargers, Electric Autonomy Canada reports.
The new network, recommended in the province’s Affordable Energy Plan, released in September, could make EVs viable at longer distances—crucial for connecting rural and Northern communities.
The chargers will also provide an accessible, reliable, publicly owned and operated infrastructure “to grow the use of zero-emission vehicles in Manitoba,” the plan reads.
“By adopting new standards and best practices for connecting EV chargers to their grid to ensure reliability of the EV charging system, Hydro will give Manitobans the confidence they can use their EVs anywhere and anytime.”
The Case for Utility-Owned Chargers
Utilities run at least 3,000 of Canada’s 12,331 EV charging stations, Electric Autonomy writes. Manitoba Hydro would follow BC Hydro and Hydro-Québec in providing provincial utility-owned power, with Ivy Charging Network (a subsidiary of Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation), Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, Epcor Utilities, Alectra Utilities, New Brunswick Power, and SaskPower contributing too.
Electric Autonomy Canada reports that public utilities are often better positioned to install charging networks, since they control and profit from the flow of power wherever users charge.
Ultimately, both public and private networks may be necessary to build out EV capacity in line with Manitoba’s goals. The province’s NDP government has prioritized EV affordability through rebates, but owning an EV also requires consumer confidence in access to chargers.
In a 2020 internal poll conducted by the federal government, 15% of respondents cited lack of charging infrastructure as the main reason they wouldn’t buy an EV, Global News reported. While Manitoba’s EV numbers are increasing, they still lag behind where they should be to achieve the province’s goal of tripling the number in use by 2026, reports the Winnipeg Free Press.
One concern about increasing EV use is managing its impact on the grid.
“It could increase demand on our electricity grid, so it’s important we plan carefully to ensure we continue to supply all Manitobans with safe and reliable electricity while helping Manitobans adopt EVs in greater numbers in the future,” wrote Riley McDonald, Manitoba Hydro media relations assistant, in an email to The Energy Mix.
Manitoba’s Affordable Energy Plan also recommends increasing generation capacity through a federal funding partnership, and an Indigenous loan program for First Nations-owned wind power. These could increase energy supply to meet EV demand.
So, when will Manitoba Hydro decide?
“It’s too soon to say at this point,” wrote McDonald. “Cost and timelines, potential placements of charging stations, and energy usage are among the many questions we are looking at as part of our planning process currently under way.”
