SaskPower's Great Plains Power Station now online near Moose Jaw

SaskPower’s newest generating facility – the Great Plains Power Station – is now officially online.

The combined-cycle natural gas-fired plant, located just south of Moose Jaw, has a generating capacity of 370 megawatts – which is enough electricity to power over 370,000 homes.

“[The] Great Plains Power Station will provide the reliable and affordable power that Saskatchewan needs to keep growing,” Minister Responsible for SaskPower Jeremy Harrison said in a news release Tuesday.

“Construction of the plant has already made significant contributions to the local and provincial economy, with more than 300 Saskatchewan companies contributing to this project for a total of $266.7 million in local participation and $48.9 million in Indigenous participation.”

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts sent to your device

Ground was broken on the plant in March of 2021. At the peak of construction in July of 2023, there were more than 600 workers at the site daily.

Overall, 70 per cent of workers on the project were from Saskatchewan – including 13 per cent from Moose Jaw.

A total of 25 workers will operate the plant going forward.

“The demand for power will continue to rise as electrification increases and the economy grows,” said Rupen Pandya, SaskPower president and CEO in the release.

“Natural gas generation provides a reliable 24/7 power supply that will enable us to meet this challenge."

Natural Gas Phase Out

The Federal government has drafted clean energy regulations which includes the phase out of natural gas.

Provincial officials say those plans are final.

"Our message is that we're we're more concerned about reliable, affordable power for the people of Saskatchewan," said Sask Party MLA for Moose Jaw North Tim McCleod. "We're going to continue to deliver it in ways just like this."

Pandya says SaskPower's future growth hopes to use natural gas as a greener option to coal.

"[We’re] committed to the growth plan together in decarbonizing electricity by 2050," he said "Using natural gas will allow to transition and integrate renewables, like wind and solar, as well."

Ottawa’s clean energy regulations are yet to have been presented. Exceptions are expected within the framework, including the requirement of carbon capture technology at plants, something SaskPower says they are looking in to for the Great Plains station.

Kansas City-based firm Burns & McDonnell was chosen as SaskPower’s engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner for the project through a competitive process, the Crown noted.

The Great Plains Power Station joins SaskPower’s 10 other natural gas-fired power plants in the province.