Power Plant Project Takes A Big Leap Forward

SaskPower’s plans to build a natural gas fired electrical generating station took another step forward on Wednesday as the Crown corporation announced the project had entered the request for proposal (RFP) phase.

As part of the RFP phase two companies, Burns & McDonnell Canada Ltd. and Kiewit Construction Services ULC, have been shortlisted to proceed to submit competitive proposals to construct the project. The two firms each have experience in Saskatchewan.

SaskPower is set to construct a $750 million natural gas-fired in the Southeast Industrial Park.

Power Plant Operational

The proposed natural gas-fired electrical generating plant will be similar to a facility near Swift Current that recently went online.

The industrial park was initiallly conceived to have an up to $100 million pea protein fractioning plant as its’ anchor tenant but the deal with Canadian Protein Innovation when its main proponent, Michael Schoenert, ran into civil and criminal legal problems in his home country of Germany.

The Industrial Park is set to get a big boost if BC based Carpere Canada follows through and purchases 780 acres of land for agri-food and other industrial tenants. The deal - which sees Carpere purchase the land and hold exclusive rights to develop the industrial park - is presently on a Carpere requested extensioin until the end of February.

“The Moose Jaw power station is an important part of our plans to meet the growing demand for power in Saskatchewan while supporting intermittent renewable options such as wind and solar,” Mike Marsh, SaskPower President and Chief Executive Officer said in a statement. “Building the plant will also create business and employment opportunities, and we encourage local suppliers and members of the community to work with both proponents to help them build their proposals.”

Construction of the 350-megawattt facility will employ an average of 230 workers per year. With construction employment peaking at more than 500 workers on site. The construction is expected to result in significant economic spinoff for the region. Following construction the plant is expected to create 25 permanent jobs and generate enough power for a city the size of Saskatoon.

The plant is expected to be online and generating power power some time in 2024.