Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 3, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba A6 Manitoba Winnipeg free press thursday August 3, 2006 Manitoba Hydro profit expected despite dry summer Export sales climbed almost 60 per that year the summer began with Low by Mia Rabson m cent Over the previous year totalling $881 water Levels and the situation got worse. Million for 2005-06. This year the water tables and flows at Manitoba Hydro was singing Brennan also said operating costs the Start of Spring were quite High and in All the rain that fell in 2005 were contained. Operating and admin Brennan said despite the Lack of rain and it definitely want the istra Tive costs went up just 3.3 per cent water flows in All the dams is at least at blues. In 2005-06 compared to the previous average Levels and in some cases even the Crown Utility raked in $415 Mil year. Better than average. Lion in profits for the 2005-06 fiscal year and while Mother nature has been that Means Hydro has More Power to shattering the old record of $250 million especially stingy with the rain this sum Export the Only place it really makes from 2001. Mer Hydro is not concerned about water any Money. We were really pleased with $250 Mil flows and is still projecting profits for Domestic rates Are kept below Cost to lion said Hydro ceo Bob Brennan. 2006-07 in excess of $200 million. Keep it cheap to live and do business in this is really really we re still in pretty Good shape for Manitoba. He attributed the Rise in sales mainly this said Brennan. And with the summer heat wave Short to the record water flows through in 2003, a summer drought left the ing out Power systems All across the con Hydro a dams last year after Mother Utility with a record $436 million in loss Tinnent Manitoba Hydro a Power is in nature pelted the province with rain for is because water Levels on lakes and extreme demand. Minneapolis residents months. Rivers were extremely Low. However this week were asked to keep their thermostats above 78 degrees fahrenheit because of the extreme pressure on its system due to air conditioners. And Minnesota is one of Manitoba Hydro a biggest Export bases. Brennan said the $415 million profits will go into Hydro a retained earnings pile bringing that account to in excess of $1.28 billion bringing the utilities debt to equity ratio closer to the desired 75 25 level. Right now it is about 80 20. Hydro also has a significant number of capital projects underway including construction of its new $268 million downtown Headquarters and the $1.2 Bil lion wus Khatim dam near Nelson House. i Brief Copper wire stolen Call it the great Manitoba Copper caper. Thieves sliced through Chain link fences and broke into four Manitoba Hydro compounds in southwestern Manitoba on sunday night stealing hundreds of kilograms of Copper wire. Suspects also swiped Chain saws drills and a number of tools from com pounds in Souris Boissevain Killar Ney and Glenboro. Ramp said items totalling about $2,900 were stolen from Souris while losses weren tas severe in the other locations. Its believe the Price of Metal has made Copper a hot commodity for thieves who can fenced the product for As much As $10 a kilogram. Manitoba Hydro spokesman Glenn Schneider said yesterday the company is working with ramp to enhance Security. Fire situation stable despite six new fires yesterday bringing this years total to 474, the provincial fire Boss is surprised things Are As Good As they Are considering Southern Manitoba a drought. Tom Mirus said the High relative humidity and Low winds have Given Crews some Luck in fighting blazes but on the other Side of the Coin the darn rain in to Dauphin for exam ple has received 24 per cent of its nor Mal precipitation while in the North Thompson has received 147 per cent of its Normal rainfall he said. Mirus said 2.5 centimetres of rain is needed to get out of extreme conditions and although rain is forecaster for tomorrow it often fizzles out when it arrives dropping Little if any precipitation. Highway upgrade planned the province will spend $5 million to repave and upgrade Highway 3 Mcgillivray Boulevard from the City limits at Brady Road to the perimeter Highway. Work on the 8.5-Kilometre stretch located in the Rural municipality of Macdonald is already underway and expected to be finished by the fall. Transportation minister Ron Lemieux said the Road is a vital link for trucks and tourists. Highway 3 runs Westward through communities in Southern Manitoba such As Carman and Morden. Lemieux said in some spots chunks of Concrete Are falling away from the Road and its shoulders Are too narrow making it hazardous for larger trucks. Man arrested in City police arrested a Man in Winnipeg on tuesday in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl in a Brandon apartment last month. Members of the joint Winnipeg police service and ramp High risk offender unit arrested the 21-year-old Man on tuesday evening. He was just picked up in an area they knew he a be after receiving information on the warrant said Winnipeg police service spokesman const. Pat Cha Bidon. The Winnipeg resident was arrested peacefully at a business in Brandon at about 7 p.m., said Cha Bidon who would to reveal the nature of the Busi Ness or the accused a connection to it ;