Scientists call for Sask. to reverse decision to extend coal-fired power plants

A group of atmospheric scientists say they’re concerned about the Government of Saskatchewan’s decision to extend the life of SaskPower’s coal-fire power plants instead of abiding by federal regulations and shutting them down in a few years.

The group wrote a position statement and is strongly urging the provincial government to reconsider the decision.

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Back in June, Jeremy Harrison, the minister responsible for SaskPower, wrote a letter to the Crown corporation’s employees to inform them of the decision. He contended, and the provincial government has said in the past, that the federal government has no jurisdiction when it comes to power generation.

Federal regulations set a performance standard for coal emissions and set a phase-out for conventional coal-fired electricity generation by 2030. The Saskatchewan government has said it won’t abide by those rules and will stick with its goal of getting the provincial power grid to net zero emissions by 2050 – the province signed an equivalency agreement on those regulations in December.

Now, Harrison said the province will extend coal generation to bridge the gap until it can bring nuclear generation online.

Ron Hopkinson is one of the scientists who signed the position paper. He was a meteorologist for 55 years, including 35 years with Environment Canada.

Hopkinson said continuing to use coal for power will result in the province continuing to emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere at a time when most of the world is going in the opposite direction.

He said the emissions are driving climate change, which Saskatchewan is already feeling the effects of.

“We just need to look at the wildfires in northern Saskatchewan as an indicator of one of the possible impacts,” he said.

Hopkinson noted that the province is particularly susceptible to other problems from climate change, as Saskatchewan relies on the two major rivers to bring drinking water into the province from Alberta.

“If the glaciers eventually recede in the mountains to the point that they’re not able to provide some base flow during the summer months, we may be in trouble for water supply in the major cities, let alone irrigation,” Hopkinson said.

He pointed out that Saskatchewan has a lot of wind and among the highest sunlight hours in the country, and so SaskPower should be putting its money and efforts into solar and wind power instead of coal.

“I think there are ways of getting to where we want to be without continuing the coal-fired power plants into the indefinite future,” he said.

The provincial government has argued that building other resources, like natural gas plants, to bridge the gap to nuclear power would be too expensive for taxpayers, but Hopkinson said it would be short-term pain for long-term gain.

“It’s probably a lot better to spend the money now than to spend a lot more later in dealing with the effects of climate change.”

Hopkinson said this decision shows the province isn’t very sympathetic to climate change, and that Saskatchewan isn’t contributing positively to where Canada needs to be.