Price estimate for Sask.'s refit of coal-fired power plants climbs to $26B
An internal SaskPower document shows 25-year cost comes from capital, operational and fuel expenses
Alexander Quon
The estimated price for Saskatchewan's refit of its coal-fired power plants has climbed to $26 billion over the next 25 years, according to documents obtained by the Saskatchewan NDP. The figures are part of a slide deck presented to SaskPower's board last year and made public by the Opposition this week.
One of the slides, titled "Coal Fleet Life Extension," indicates an initial capital sustainment investment of $393 million, plus $11.4 billion for the 25-year life extension, plus $1.4 billion for transmission costs and $13 billion for fuel costs.
The figures total $26 billion, which the NDP say is far more than the $2.6 billion estimate prepared ([url]https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/refurbishing-coal-plants-2-6-billion-9.7147583[/url]) by external consultants and filed with the Saskatchewan Rate Review Panel earlier this year.
"I think we've got $26 billion, 26 more reasons today to not trust the government," NDP Leader Carla Beck said.
SaskPower coal refurbishment presentation 2025Mobile users: View the document ([url]https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/28100689/saskpower-coal-refurbishment-presentation-2025.pdf[/url])
CBC is not responsible for 3rd party content The government is not disputing the veracity of the documents.
Minister of Crown Investments Corporation Jeremy Harrison confirmed the slides were part of an "incomplete, early draft of a presentation" to the Crown corporation's board.
He said the NDP are being dishonest because the $26 billion figure includes the cost of fuel, operations, transmission and maintenance over the next two and a half decades.
Saskatchewan Minister for Crown Investments Corporation Jeremy Harrison, left, speaks to media alongside Gregg Milbrandt, SaskPower's vice-president for asset strategy and planning. (Alexander Quon/CBC)
"If you were to buy a vehicle, you look at the price on the vehicle and you would say, using their method, 'That's not the real price. You have to account for fuel, you have to account for oil changes, you have to account for car washes, you have to account for repairs. That's the real price,'" Harrison said.
"I mean, give me a break."
The NDP continued to press the government after raising the issue during the Premier's Estimates debate on Wednesday.
The new price tag for the coal-fired power plant refurbishment was the only subject raised by the NDP during Thursday's 30-minute question period.
Documents reveal cost to refurbish Sask. coal plants, raising concerns
SaskPower documents filed with the Saskatchewan Rate Review Panel show refurbishing the province's coal power plants will cost $2.6 billion — nearly three times the previous estimate. Some experts say ignoring federal regulations on ending coal carries risks.
As the Opposition repeatedly highlighted, the cost of the 25-year plan is more than this year's entire provincial budget.
"This is not only about how much we are paying for this coal plan, which is, to be clear, a staggering amount. This is also about all of the things that this government cannot pay for," Beck said.
Differing approaches
The Opposition says the $26-billion plan is more expensive than its $20-billion Grid & Growth plan ([url]https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-ndp-grid-and-growth-plan-9.7156377[/url]), which would expand renewables rather than extend the life of the province's coal power plants.
Harrison said the government's own analysis drew a different conclusion; a document filed by SaskPower says the Crown corporation will save "more than $21 billion" in projected capital expenditures by extending coal rather than following clean electricity regulations.
Harrison rejected complying with the federal government's clean electricity regulations and coal-fired power regulations, saying they are "unconstitutional."
"We're going to continue to run our coal plants past 2029 and we have been very open and transparent about that," he said.
Price for Sask.'s refit of coal-fired power plants climbs to estimated $26B
The Saskatchewan NDP say the province's plan to refit and extend the life of its coal-fired power plants is now $26 billion. The government says the Opposition is misleading the public.
Other options exist: expert
David Pickup, manager of the electricity program at the Pembina Institute, a clean-energy think tank, said while questions around the affordability of coal can be complicated, Saskatchewan is increasingly alone in its position.
"Pretty much every province in Canada has either planned or has already gone off coal," Pickup said.
It's part of a wider global shift away from coal to "better, cheaper and cleaner alternatives," such as solar, wind and natural gas, he said.
"There's definitely lots of other options that are either as cost-effective or more cost-effective than continuing to burn coal."
An internal SaskPower document shows 25-year cost comes from capital, operational and fuel expenses
Alexander Quon
The estimated price for Saskatchewan's refit of its coal-fired power plants has climbed to $26 billion over the next 25 years, according to documents obtained by the Saskatchewan NDP. The figures are part of a slide deck presented to SaskPower's board last year and made public by the Opposition this week.
One of the slides, titled "Coal Fleet Life Extension," indicates an initial capital sustainment investment of $393 million, plus $11.4 billion for the 25-year life extension, plus $1.4 billion for transmission costs and $13 billion for fuel costs.
The figures total $26 billion, which the NDP say is far more than the $2.6 billion estimate prepared ([url]https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/refurbishing-coal-plants-2-6-billion-9.7147583[/url]) by external consultants and filed with the Saskatchewan Rate Review Panel earlier this year.
"I think we've got $26 billion, 26 more reasons today to not trust the government," NDP Leader Carla Beck said.
SaskPower coal refurbishment presentation 2025Mobile users: View the document ([url]https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/28100689/saskpower-coal-refurbishment-presentation-2025.pdf[/url])
CBC is not responsible for 3rd party content The government is not disputing the veracity of the documents.
Minister of Crown Investments Corporation Jeremy Harrison confirmed the slides were part of an "incomplete, early draft of a presentation" to the Crown corporation's board.
He said the NDP are being dishonest because the $26 billion figure includes the cost of fuel, operations, transmission and maintenance over the next two and a half decades.
Saskatchewan Minister for Crown Investments Corporation Jeremy Harrison, left, speaks to media alongside Gregg Milbrandt, SaskPower's vice-president for asset strategy and planning. (Alexander Quon/CBC)
"If you were to buy a vehicle, you look at the price on the vehicle and you would say, using their method, 'That's not the real price. You have to account for fuel, you have to account for oil changes, you have to account for car washes, you have to account for repairs. That's the real price,'" Harrison said.
"I mean, give me a break."
The NDP continued to press the government after raising the issue during the Premier's Estimates debate on Wednesday.
The new price tag for the coal-fired power plant refurbishment was the only subject raised by the NDP during Thursday's 30-minute question period.
Documents reveal cost to refurbish Sask. coal plants, raising concerns
SaskPower documents filed with the Saskatchewan Rate Review Panel show refurbishing the province's coal power plants will cost $2.6 billion — nearly three times the previous estimate. Some experts say ignoring federal regulations on ending coal carries risks.
As the Opposition repeatedly highlighted, the cost of the 25-year plan is more than this year's entire provincial budget.
"This is not only about how much we are paying for this coal plan, which is, to be clear, a staggering amount. This is also about all of the things that this government cannot pay for," Beck said.
- Estimated cost to refurbish Sask. coal plants nearly tripled to $2.6 billion ([url]https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/refurbishing-coal-plants-2-6-billion-9.7147583[/url])
Differing approaches
The Opposition says the $26-billion plan is more expensive than its $20-billion Grid & Growth plan ([url]https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-ndp-grid-and-growth-plan-9.7156377[/url]), which would expand renewables rather than extend the life of the province's coal power plants.
Harrison said the government's own analysis drew a different conclusion; a document filed by SaskPower says the Crown corporation will save "more than $21 billion" in projected capital expenditures by extending coal rather than following clean electricity regulations.
- Sask. government says province is free of the industrial carbon tax. It’s still paying for it ([url]https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-industrial-carbon-tax-sask-power-9.7035079[/url])
Harrison rejected complying with the federal government's clean electricity regulations and coal-fired power regulations, saying they are "unconstitutional."
"We're going to continue to run our coal plants past 2029 and we have been very open and transparent about that," he said.
Price for Sask.'s refit of coal-fired power plants climbs to estimated $26B
The Saskatchewan NDP say the province's plan to refit and extend the life of its coal-fired power plants is now $26 billion. The government says the Opposition is misleading the public.
Other options exist: expert
David Pickup, manager of the electricity program at the Pembina Institute, a clean-energy think tank, said while questions around the affordability of coal can be complicated, Saskatchewan is increasingly alone in its position.
"Pretty much every province in Canada has either planned or has already gone off coal," Pickup said.
It's part of a wider global shift away from coal to "better, cheaper and cleaner alternatives," such as solar, wind and natural gas, he said.
"There's definitely lots of other options that are either as cost-effective or more cost-effective than continuing to burn coal."
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