Michael Joel-Hansen
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
The Sask. Party government is talking about the future of energy in the province, and the role nuclear power — and other sources — will play here as demand grows.
Monday, the government officially released the Saskatchewan First Energy Security and Strategy Plan. The document touches on a range of energy issues, including transmission, distribution and generation.
But the role nuclear will play in powering Saskatchewan is front and centre. In a media release, Crown Investments Minister Jeremy Harrison said nuclear works for the province, due to its abundant uranium supply.
“The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to a nuclear future utilizing our amazing Saskatchewan uranium resource to power our province and provide a secure energy future,” he said in the release.
The province is continuing work to develop small modular reactors, and the government said it’s looking at the feasibility of building two in the Estevan area. Smaller micro reactors, which could power isolated work sites and communities, will also be considered along with large scale reactor deployment. An overall policy review will look at ownership, operation and deployment.
The province reiterated plans to continue running SaskPower’s coal generation stations past 2030. The provincial energy plan calls for coal to be used as a “secure bridge” to nuclear. The government said the province’s coal infrastructure can be extended until 2050 if needed.
The province says the plan to expand the life of Saskatchewan’s coal plants is necessary, so they’re not overly dependent on a single power source. Natural gas, which makes up close to half of all generation capacity, is currently the largest source of energy.
The government said Saskatchewan imports over 80 per cent of this natural gas, and that demand is expected to increase in the coming years which would drive up prices. The policy document says prices for natural gas turbines are also expected to increase, while delivery timelines are expected to be pushed back.
Thirty-five per cent of Saskatchewan’s power comes from renewable and “low emitting” sources. The province said it will continue to invest in wind, solar and storage, but argued the technology is less reliable and that wind and solar projects take up large amounts of agricultural land.
The government plan indicates SaskPower will aim to have the provincial power grid carbon neutral by 2050.
Opposition responds
The plan is drawing criticism from the official opposition. In a media release sent out Monday Alena Young, the NDP critic for jobs and the economy, said the government’s plan will see nearly $1 billion spent to refurbish Saskatchewan’s coal plants. She added there is no timeline or funding plan in place to renew the province’s fleet of coal plants, and that there is no evidence refurbishing coal facilities can be done in a cost-effective manner.
The NDP said it will release its Grid and Growth Plan this year, adding the plan will focus on natural gas, renewables and nuclear. Young said nuclear has the ability to create benefits for the entire province.
“We should be capitalizing on all of those opportunities in the nuclear sector — from rock to reactor,” she said.
