Manitoba sweetens powerline compensation

Manitoba Hydro, which plans to build a high voltage transmission line across farmland in the province, has sweetened its compensation offer to rural landowners.The new proposal for the Bipole III right of way is a significant improvement over the previous offer, said Doug Chorney, Keystone Agricultural Producers vice-president.“From information we got just last Friday, I think we’re moving in the right direction,” he said.The proposed compensation package has four parts:•A 75 percent payment, based on market value, for a 66’ wide easement on the landowner’s property;•A lump sum payment of $5,000 to $23,000, depending on the value of the agricultural land, to compensate landowners for the inconvenience and hassle of having to navigate equipment around that tower;•Ancillary damage compensation, of zero to 60 percent of the market value of the 66 foot wide easement, for specific impacts on the agricultural or residential land;•Compensation for loss of crop production during construction and maintenance of the towers.The compensation for ancillary damage is new and could result in a payment greater than the value of the land under the towers, Chorney said.“If you were to get the maximum, you would be at 135 percent of the value of the land in a payment,” he said.“So they’re actually paying you more than its worth. And you still own the land.”While the new offer is progress, Chorney said landowners remain concerned about the phrase market value, wondering if compensation would be based on the land’s assessed value, or the market value.“It’s one of those details that could really bog you down. If you have an unrealistic assessment and the producer feels his land is worth more than that, they’re going to have a hard time agreeing.”Manitoba Hydro expects to begin construction on Bipole III in late 2012. The line will begin at hydroelectric dams in northern Manitoba, run down the west side of the province and terminate southeast of Winnipeg.

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