SaskPower moving forward with 10 MW solar energy project

SaskPower is going ahead with a utility sized solar energy project, the only one outside of Ontario.

The Crown corporation has announced plans for a 10 megawatt (MW) project to be located somewhere in Saskatchewan.

“This solar power project is part of our government’s commitment to reach 50 per cent renewable energy capacity by 2030,” Gordon Wyant, the minister responsible for SaskPower, said in a statement.

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“As we move forward with this commitment, we will continue to invest in renewables such as wind and solar.”

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SaskPower has put out a call for tenders, and 34 companies are interested.

While the exact location of the project has not yet been determined, SaskPower said it has been evaluating a site in southern Saskatchewan.

The long-term goal is to produce 60 MW of power using solar energy.

“To meet this goal, SaskPower will also be looking at community-based projects and a partnership with First Nations Power Authority for utility-scale projects,” SaskPower president and CEO Mike Marsh said.

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The project is expected to be operational by the end of 2018.