SaskPower delays “clean coal” power


NFPA 70E Training

Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.

  • Live Online
  • 6 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$199
Coupon Price:
$149
Reserve Your Seat Today
Saskatchewan's power company says it needs more information from the federal government before it decides whether to move ahead with a so-called clean coal project.

SaskPower, a provincial Crown corporation, announced that it will rebuild its aging Unit 3 at the coal-fired Boundary Dam power plant near Estevan, Sask.

The company said a decision on a fully integrated carbon-capture and storage facility will have to wait until it gets more details on emissions regulations from Ottawa.

"We do need to get some clarification and certainty of what the feds are going to do," Robert Watson, the president of SaskPower, said, noting the federal government has jurisdiction to regulate emissions.

"It would be irresponsible to not... look at the regulations and find out what's in them so that there are no surprises," he added.

Clean coal and the ability to capture greenhouse gas emissions from large polluters for storage underground are key planks in the federal Conservative government's plan to address climate change.

In 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in southeastern Saskatchewan to tour the Boundary Dam where the federal and provincial governments are spending hundreds of millions of dollars working on a clean coal project.

That pilot project is separate from the Unit 3 upgrade.

Saskatchewan would need the technology to work on a large scale.

Per capita, the province is the largest emitter in the country due to its reliance on burning coal to generate electricity.

It has the second-highest greenhouse gas emissions per capita of any jurisdiction in the world — 72 tonnes per person annually — according to the Saskatchewan Environmental Society.

The company estimates it would cost $1.2 billion to rebuild Boundary Dam 3 as a fully integrated carbon-capture and storage unit.

Instead, refurbishing the 45-year-old unit to extend its life by another 30 years would cost an estimated $354 million.

"We're going to rebuild it so it's carbon-capture ready," said Watson. "It will come out as almost a brand new unit that's the latest technology set to capture carbon. Then, the second phase of the decision is to have the carbon-capture infrastructure built in order to capture the carbon. That's the delay.

"It's a deferral or a delay," he quickly added. "It's not a cancellation by any means."

Related News

The Great Debate About Bitcoin's Huge Appetite For Electricity Determining Its Future

Bitcoin Energy Debate examines electricity usage, mining costs, environmental impact, and blockchain efficiency, weighing renewable…
View more

Hurricane Michael by the numbers: 32 dead, 1.6 million homes, businesses without power

Hurricane Michael Statistics track catastrophic wind speed, storm surge, rainfall totals, power outages, evacuations, and…
View more

Feds to study using electricity to 'reduce or eliminate' fossil fuels

Electrification Potential Study for Canada evaluates NRCan's decarbonization roadmap, assessing electrification of end uses and…
View more

Electricity rates are about to change across Ontario

Ontario Electricity Rate Changes lower OEB Regulated Price Plan costs, adjust Time-of-Use winter hours and…
View more

Shocking scam: fraudster pretending to be from BC Hydro attempts to extort business

BC Hydro Bitcoin Scam targets small businesses with utility impersonation, call spoofing, and disconnection threats,…
View more

California Forecasts 61% Electricity Demand Growth by 2045

A new California Energy Commission forecast projects a 61 percent rise in electricity demand by…
View more

Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter

Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.

Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE

Stay informed with the latest T&D policies and technologies.
  • Timely insights from industry experts
  • Practical solutions T&D engineers
  • Free access to every issue

Download the 2026 Electrical Training Catalog

Explore 50+ live, expert-led electrical training courses –

  • Interactive
  • Flexible
  • CEU-cerified