Hydro boss shuts down as utility seeks 'new perspective' – Winnipeg Free Press

Manitoba Hydro's CEO was fired by the Crown corporation's board Tuesday morning.

Jay Grewal has held a senior position at Hydro for more than five years, arriving in Winnipeg in 2019 after two years as president and CEO of Northwest Territories Electric Power Corporation. He was the highest-paid CEO of a Crown corporation at the time of his dismissal, with a total salary of more than $515,000.

Manitoba Hydro Chairman Ben Graham said Grewal's termination is effective immediately. The terms of his contract allow him to receive compensation if he is terminated without cause, a situation Graham confirmed.

Hal Turner, Hydro's vice president of asset planning and delivery, will assume CEO duties on an interim basis. The board will consider terms of finding a permanent replacement at its scheduled meeting Thursday, Graham said. Consulting firm MNP is helping with the search, Hydro said in a news release.

“I want to thank Jay for his dedication to Hydro,” said Graham Free press. “He's been with us for a while, and sometimes when you're starting something new and fresh, you need a fresh approach.”

Grewal's departure comes as Hydro faces some important decisions regarding Manitoba's future energy needs.

Long a net exporter of hydroelectric power, long-term hydro modeling suggests that without the development of new generation sources and aggressive demand management, Manitoba could become a net importer. At the Public Utilities Board hearings, many critics and interventionists urged Hydro to act quickly to expand alternative energy sources, including wind, solar and geothermal.

Grewal has faced controversy during his tenure at Hydro, much of it led by former Progressive Conservative premier Brian Pallister. Under Grewal's watch, the Pallister government sought to eliminate the utility's ability to oversee rate hikes, and Grewal said it set tough equity targets that required Hydro to raise rates over two decades.

Grewal has recently been at odds with the current NDP government.