November 18, 2022 | By Kevin Mehi

Last week, SaskPower announced provincial government approval of the addition of 700 megawatts (MW) of new renewable generation to be added in south-central Saskatchewan by 2027. This new capacity will comprise 400 MW of new wind generation and 300 MW of new solar generation. 

In a press release, SaskPower cited this additional capacity as another step towards achieving its goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% (from 2005 levels) by 2030, and in working towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. SaskPower also announced plans to add up to 3,000 MW of wind and solar generation by 2035, stating these plans will create “a major transformation of our grid and an economic opportunity for businesses and communities provincewide”.

This announcement comes on the heels of SaskPower’s announcement in August 2022 confirming it had entered into an agreement with the Southwest Power Pool to increase transmission line capacity and enable the transmission of up to 650 MW of electricity between Saskatchewan and the United States starting in 2027.

This additional generation capacity will come as great news to renewable energy developers in Saskatchewan. As The Power Corporation Act (Saskatchewan) provides SaskPower with the exclusive right to supply, transmit, distribute, and sell electricity in Saskatchewan (subject to certain exceptions), developers can expect SaskPower to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for this additional 700 MW of renewable generation in the near future.

The Procido LLP team would be pleased to assist renewable energy developers with respect to renewable energy projects in Saskatchewan, including securing lands and responding to any upcoming RFPs for this increased capacity. Should you require further information regarding this article, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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