Watch the video above: Society urges Sask. to transition off coal into renewable power
SASKATOON – SaskPower has made it clear; it takes power to grow Saskatchewan.
The Saskatchewan Environmental Society has come out with a report suggesting renewable alternatives to using coal to fulfill the province’s growing power needs
Right now the province has three coal-fired power stations, two in the Estevan area and one near Coronach, Sask.
Two of them are reaching the end of their scheduled operating lifetime, prompting consulting engineer Robert Halliday to look further into their environmental impact.
“The real question in the early stages was are there alternatives to coal-firing power plants in Saskatchewan and can we do things differently and change the power mix,” said Halliday.
“Recognizing that SaskPower has to make some critical decisions in the next five to ten years about what their power future looks like.”
Halliday spent the last year weighing the challenges versus opportunities and emphasizing Saskatchewan’s wind, solar and biomass resources.
“The easiest power you can produce is the power you save and we need to get an energy conservation ethic going in Saskatchewan,” he said.
Halliday has met with SaskPower to share his report.
The two sides don’t agree on everything but according to a statement from SaskPower, it knows that the development of cleaner generation options is essential to power Saskatchewan’s future.
The Crown corporation has offered to meet with the Saskatchewan Environmental Society in the New Year to continue discussions.
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