ESTEVAN -
People with an interest in the proposed solar power facility in the RM of Estevan had their chance to ask questions about the project during an open house Thursday night at the Southeast College's Estevan campus.
Representatives of Iyuhána Solar LP were on hand to discuss the project, which would be constructed southwest of the city. RM ratepayers accounted for many of the people present, but there were others on hand wanting to learn more.
Devin Petteplace, a senior manager of corporate services with Iyuhána Solar LP, said they had 48 people turn out, and he was pleased with the opportunity to engage with the community. People inquired about potential employment and construction opportunities. Others wanted to know about land use.
"We were really ecstatic about both the turnout and the tenor of the event," said Petteplace.
Most people had a pretty good sense of the project, he said, and he didn't receive any pushback from the local residents.
Placards provided information on the project, how it would operate and how far along it is in the environmental and planning process.
Petteplace said they are still in the development phase. Engagement with the Ministry of the Environment is ongoing. Environmental field studies and submissions of terms of reference to the ministry have occurred. Iyuhána hopes to have approval from the ministry in the first quarter of next year; construction would start in the third quarter and take 12-18 months. Information at the meeting pegged an opening for the fourth quarter of 2026.
"We do have some runway on this project to make sure that we get everything as right as possible as we're moving towards construction and engineering and then operation once it's constructed. So right now, we're still developing, we're still working with SaskPower and the local community of Estevan, the RM, just to get some of the development work down, and then we'll look into the construction phase as 2025 rolls along," said Petteplace.
If it proceeds, the project would be the province's largest-ever solar facility. It would produce 100 megawatts (MW) of emissions-free electricity, which would power 25,000 homes.
SaskPower announced earlier this year that Iyuhána – a partnership between Greenwood Sustainable Infrastructure and Ocean Man First Nation – would be the independent power producer for the project. Iyuhána would own, build, maintain and operate the facility.
Greenwood has completed 10-megawatt projects in the past, but nothing to the scope of this one, Petteplace said. The time between now and the start of construction will help them grapple with the size of the project.
"It's the amount of people required, the amount of time required to put it together," said Petteplace. "The amount of interconnection required. Just the amount of sheer magnitude is the biggest difference."
Petteplace believes it would be one of the top-10 renewable energy projects in the country, and will be a foundation for developing the net-zero policy of SaskPower.
"It's just a really exciting project to be part of, especially given the magnitude. And then you add in the Indigenous component with Ocean Man First Nation as our partner on this project, and I think the assistance it's going to give to that community, from an economic, from an employment, from an educational standpoint, is something that we're really proud of on this project."
If someone builds 10 megawatts of solar power and it works, then the concept keeps growing bigger and bigger. He's confident solar is here to play a supporting role in the energy supply mix in Canada.
Petteplace said several members of the team have been in Estevan previously, but others were in the Energy City for the first time, so it was a good chance to meet folks in the community and get an opportunity to meet partners in person.
"I think there was, generally speaking, a lot of excitement coming out of last night as we move forward."
