SaskPower is holding a series of information sessions across the province to inform stakeholders of the Crown Corporation's 'Plan for Electricity in Saskatchewan'.
Last Wednesday Murray Black, manager with SaskPower made a presentation to members of Yorkton Council, the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce and others from the area.
Black said the presentation was designed to show "how we're going to power the province."
Looking to the future, even the short-term future, Black said there will be significantly higher demands for electricity, and that will mean a need for upgrades and expansion to the system, and that will cost money.
From now out until 2018, SaskPower is estimating expenditures of $15 billion, said Black.Such investment is needed to keep pace with demand Black said is "growing at a tremendous pace."
Power demand is anticipated to grow at 2.5 per cent a year looking forward, the vast majority coming from industry.
"There's a huge amount of industrial growth in the province," said Black, who said that growth includes developments such as the canola crushing plants in Yorkton, and growth across most resource sectors as well.
"Every potash mine in the province is expanding," he said, adding when a mine expands it may require new power service, or at least upgrades to existing systems.
Black said diamond exploration, uranium, and the oil and gas sector are all growing, and that means a higher demand for power.
To meet the additional demand moving forward, Black said they are adding new generation capacity already, with 680 megawatts of natural gas generation already 小蓝视频 installed.
SaskPower is developing projects at Ermine, near Kerrobert, Queen Elizabeth Power Station near Saskatoon, and the Yellowhead Power Station in North Battleford.
Northland Power is also doing two projects, including Northland Power peaking station near Moosomin.
While the current project's are natural gas generation, Black said SaskPower is investigating all alternatives in terms of power generation, including coal, nuclear, co-generation, and wind power.
There are also two proposals for hydro generation from First Nations groups, on the Saskatchewan River near Prince Albert, and "one in the far, far north."
Black said the hydro proposals are 小蓝视频 studied closely because they would be partnership with First Nations people, and while costly to initially develop, hydro is the cheapest way to produce electricity, because the flowing water is essentially a free source.
Black said renewable sources of power are also 小蓝视频 pursued. He said projects already planned will push wind power to eight per cent of the electricity in the province.
"Eight per cent is a huge number," he said.
While the need is developing, Black was asked how SaskPower will raise the $15 billion.
Part of the money will also come through an efficiency and effectiveness review the corporation is undertaking, with the goal of "two billion worth of savings the next two years."
And consumers will pay more.
"It will lead to rate increases," he said, adding the Crown will attempt "to keep the rate increases as modest as possible."
That said, Black added SaskPower is committed to keeping rates competitive with other thermal based utilities, such as those in Alberta, and the Maritimes.
