SaskPower has started work on two transmission lines — one running from Moose Jaw to Swift Current and the other from Regina to Belle Plaine.

The Crown says the project will replace the current lines, delivering power from the new natural gas Chinook Power Station.

“These projects are a significant investment toward building the power system that will take our province into the future,” Tim Eckel, vice president of asset management, planning and sustainability, said in a news release “We know demand for power in Saskatchewan will continue to grow. These projects will help us accommodate that growth, increase reliability, and ensure the availability of baseload power as we bring more intermittent generation sources like wind and solar onto the grid.”

There will be work along Highway 1 between Moose Jaw and Swift Current and Highway 2 outside of Moose Jaw. SaskPower says there will be about 900 structures built between the two projects. Drivers should expect delays along the highways — and most construction will be done by the end of next summer.

The station should be open in late 2019. The project will cost around $300 million.