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A transmission line from Manitoba to Saskatchewan could help the latter wean itself off coal power and develop more renewable energy infrastructure.

Manitoba has given the go-ahead to a long-discussed transmission line to Tantallon, Saskatchewan, which could facilitate the sale of up to 215 megawatts (MW) of power each year starting in 2022.

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That’s in addition to 100 MW Saskatchewan will start buying this year until 2040.

“We’ve always purchased energy from Manitoba Hydro, but usually it’s on a short-term basis,” SaskPower supply development supervisor Douglas Opseth said. “It just made sense to do these longer transactions.”

If negotiations succeed, Opseth says roughly seven per cent of Saskatchewan’s consumed energy would come from Manitoba Hydro, which pales compared to the more than 70 per cent that comes from conventional sources like coal. The Crown corporation aims to cut carbon emissions by 40 per cent from its 2005 levels by 2030.