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Calgary, Alberta., April 2019 — Saskatchewan’s next 10-megawatt (MW) solar project is one step closer to reality as SaskPower moves forward with the Request for Proposal (RFP) phase of the competition.
The Request for Qualification (RFQ) phase saw 22 applications from 13 proponents pre-qualified to submit proposals during the RFP phase.
“Increasing Saskatchewan’s renewable power capacity is a key aspect of Prairie Resilience, our province’s climate change strategy,” said Dustin Duncan, Minister Responsible for SaskPower. “Adding another 10 megawatts of solar power will help us meet the growing demand for electricity while continuing to move toward SaskPower’s goal of reducing carbon emissions 40 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.”
SaskPower did not select a site for the project. Proponents were required to identify a site location for each application submitted into the RFQ, and each site identified went through an environmental pre-screening.
The RFP opens April 23, and proponents will have until mid-October 2019 to submit proposals into the RFP for evaluation. SaskPower will then review and evaluate all proposals equally through an open, fair and transparent process. Announcement of the successful proponent is expected in early 2020, and the project is expected to be in service as early as December 2021.
“This is the next step toward fulfilling SaskPower’s commitment to add 60 MW of solar power to the provincial electricity grid by 2021,” said SaskPower President & CEO Mike Marsh. “In addition to the current solar power generation opportunities for independent power producers, we will continue to pursue partnerships with the First Nations Power Authority as well as community-driven projects.”
SaskPower completed the first 10 MW competition in June 2018 and announced that Saskatchewan’s first utility-scale solar project would be developed near Swift Current in the Rural Municipality of Coulee. The facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2020.
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