GE-Led Consortium Wins Manitoba Hydro Contract to Replace Substation in Winnipeg

• GE-Led Consortium to Build New 66-kilovolt Adelaide Street Substation in Downtown Winnipeg
• Project is Part of Utility's Plans to Upgrade or Replace 20 City Substations over 10 to 12 Years
• Manitoba Hydro Contract Marks First Substation Order for GE's Digital Energy Business in Canada 

WINNIPEG, Aug. 12, 2015 /CNW/ - A consortium led by GE's Digital Energy business (NYSE: GE) has won a milestone engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract from Manitoba Hydro to build a new, 66 kilovolt gas-insulated substation (GIS) to help meet Winnipeg's growing energy needs. The contract, valued at 31.4M CAD is the first substation order for GE's Digital Energy business in Canada.

The new Adelaide Street substation will be built in downtown Winnipeg, replacing the utility's aging substation on King Street in the Exchange District. The project is part of Manitoba Hydro's plan to upgrade or replace Winnipeg's aging substations and other equipment with newer, more efficient power delivery systems.

GE submitted the winning EPC bid under an open consortium approach, with GE as the consortium leader and Edmonton, Alberta-based HB Construction Company, Ltd. as the consortium's engineering and construction partner.  Teshmont, a Winnipeg-based leader in high-voltage DC power transmission services, also plays a key role as GE's key sub-contractor responsible for protection and control engineering and associated testing.

"Electrical substations are a critical part of our distribution system, delivering electricity to homes and businesses throughout the city and driving more sustainable economic growth for our province," said Manitoba Hydro president & CEO Scott Thomson. "Even as we expand our networks, they are continuously being repaired and upgraded to meet the growing energy needs of our customers. Our selection of GE, HB Construction and Teshmont to build the new Adelaide substation is an important step forward in our efforts to repower the city and province."

Brent Reed, vice president, customer service & distribution for Manitoba Hydro noted that of the 97 stations in the city of Winnipeg, 37 are operating beyond their technical limitations and eight of them are more than 60 years old.

Winnipeg is not alone.  A report by the Canadian Electricity Association quotes an International Energy Agency estimate that Canada will need to invest an estimated $350 billion in its electricity sector by 2030, representing a national investment of approximately $17.5 billion per year for 20 years.

The GE-led consortium's scope of work on the new Adelaide substation includes the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning support of three 30-megavolt ampere transformers; 66-kilovolt gas-insulated switchgear; and 12-kilovolt metal-clad switchgear. The equipment will be housed in a new building with a perimeter wall surrounding the station.

"Winning this bid to build the new Adelaide Street substation—with our partners HB Construction and Teshmont —reflects the confidence Manitoba Hydro has in our project management experience, technology expertise and ability to deliver their project on time and within budget," said Emanuel Bertolini, general manager—global projects, for GE's Digital Energy business.  "After working on numerous substation projects around the world, we look forward to showcasing our expertise and regional supply chain capabilities to execute our first substation development project in Canada."

To learn more about GE's utility and industrial substation expertise and technology offerings, please visit: http://www.gedigitalenergy.com/products/brochures/Utility_Substation.pdf.

GE's Digital Energy business is a global leader in transmission and distribution solutions that manage and move power from the power plant to the consumer. Its products and services increase the reliability of electrical power networks and critical equipment for utility, industrial and large commercial customers. From protecting and optimizing assets such as generators, transmission lines and motors, to delivering analytic tools to help manage the power grid, GE's Digital Energy business delivers industry-leading technologies to solve the unique challenges of each customer. For more information, visit http://www.gedigitalenergy.com/.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) imagines things others don't, builds things others can't and delivers outcomes that make the world work better. GE brings together the physical and digital worlds in ways no other company can. In its labs and factories and on the ground with customers, GE is inventing the next industrial era to move, power, build and cure the world. www.ge.com

Follow GE's Digital Energy business on Twitter @GEModernGrid, LinkedIn and on YouTube.

SOURCE General Electric Canada Inc.

Patric Rayburn, GE, Digital Energy, [phone], [email protected]; Matt Falso or Howard Masto, Masto Public Relations, [phone], [email protected], [email protected]