Manitoba Hydro's Jenpeg station offline for 9 days and counting

Manitoba Hydro’s Jenpeg generating station has been offline since Feb. 11.

One of Manitoba Hydro’s generating stations on the Nelson River is not currently producing any power due to an ongoing series of tests and inspections.

Hydro took all six turbines at its Jenpeg station offline on Feb. 11, Hydro spokesperson Bruce Owen said in a statement Wednesday.

A repair to one of those turbines in January revealed it was in worse condition than workers expected, leading Hydro to take all six out of service this month “out of an abundance of caution,” Owen said.

“Based on its condition, a decision was made to take all generating units offline to allow for a more comprehensive inspection and testing of each unit,” he said.

“Once the results of the inspections and testing are complete, we’ll have a better understanding of the needed repairs. We’re currently working to restore generators that we find in good operating condition once inspections and testing are complete.”

The Jenpeg station, completed in 1979, has the capacity to generate 115 megawatts of electricity. That works out to roughly two per cent of Hydro’s overall capacity of 6,100 megawatts.

Hydro is producing less power than its capacity this winter due to lower-than-average flows on several rivers with generating stations, a situation sparked by drought conditions across the Lake Winnipeg watershed.