The federal government has delayed its approval of the Manitoba-Minnesota Transmission project.

The announcement was expected Thursday but has been pushed back to June 14th.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister says he has communicated to the Prime Minister that this worthwhile initiative should be pursued.

"The federal government wants to have the reputation for being green, they should start acting it and they should stop blocking a made in Manitoba green hydro project that will assist other jurisdictions that use coal power now to get off it and use clean green hydro energy," says the Premier. "It makes no sense to delay a project like that."

Pallister says the province has had a gold standard consultative process involving extensive investments by Manitobans. He notes the process was extensive at the Clean Environment Commission level and then with the National Energy Board.

"Through those processes we gained approved, both from our Clean Environment Commission and from the National Energy Board," he says. "And it was some months ago."

Pallister says invoking a rising carbon tax on Manitobans is already a punishment. He says this adds insult to injury.

Ottawa says the delay is due to the Manitoba government's decision to back out of deals signed between Manitoba Hydro and Indigenous communities. It says those deals were critical for Hydro to gain Indigenous support for the project and wants to review this matter before considering final approval.