Steinbach Conservative MLA and Tory House Leader Kelvin Goertzen says customers of Manitoba Hydro are starting to pay the price of NDP Government interference in Manitoba Hydro.

The Public Utilities Board has just approved a hydro rate hike of 3.95 per cent for August 1st, with over half of it going into a reserve fund for the planned Bipole 3 transmission line. Goertzen says that amounts to another broken promise by the government.

"You'll remember that, in the last election, the NDP said that it wouldn't cost Manitobans a penny to have Bipole 3 built. And now, of course, it's costing them many pennies and it's going to cost, not only Manitobans today, but for generations to come with this rate increase, this year, but they're also saying there are going to be similar rate increases for the next decade and probably beyond that."

Goertzen says this whole situation is not Manitoba Hydro's fault.

"Let's make no mistake, this isn't a problem of Manitoba Hydro, or those who work at Manitoba Hydro. This is the NDP Government directing Manitoba Hydro to make these decisions that cost Manitobans. What has to happen with Hydro is you have to allow it to run efficiently and effectively and like a business should run so the decisions are made on a proper basis and not on political basis which often costs Manitobans money. And we're seeing that now with the political decisions made by the NDP."

Goertzen says Manitoba Hydro is the crown jewel of our crown corporations and a lot of the province's future depends on low cost electricity for residents plus a good export program. He adds that cannot happen when politicians are trying to run it.