REGINA — The opposition New Democrats resumed their attack Monday on government plans to extend coal generation, pointing to another study claiming the cost is even higher than SaskPower’s internal estimate.
Speaking outside SaskPower headquarters in Regina, the NDP’s Environment critic, Jared Clarke, told reporters that, according to the latest report from the Pembina Institute, the “true cost of the coal refurbishment is going to be $32 billion.”
“This report is in addition to the C.D. Howe Institute’s independent report that said $46 billion for the coal refurbishment,” Clarke said. It was also in addition, he said, to SaskPower’s own leaked internal documents pointing to a cost of $26 billion.
“Again, this is the most expensive option that the Sask. Party could be choosing when it comes to powering Saskatchewan in the future.”
Clarke also pointed to the Pembina Institute’s warnings about the health implications of continuing to burn coal. He said the institute has put that cost at “$160 million to the Saskatchewan health care system.”
On Monday, Clarke accused Premier Scott Moe and Jeremy Harrison, minister responsible for the Crown Investments Corporation, of having “refused to listen.”
“They’ve refused to heed the warning after warning, as report after report comes out showing that their choice of this catastrophic coal plan is going to be the most expensive plan, it is going to double power rates for Saskatchewan people.”
The Sask. Party government has committed to extending the life of coal plants until 2050 during the transition to nuclear power. For the past several months, the NDP has played up the mounting costs of that refurbishment plan, while the Sask. Party government has countered, stating the true cost is closer to $2.6 billion. The Sask. Party government has also been critical of NDP proposals to purchase natural gas instead, saying jobs in Estevan and Coronach will be lost.
In a statement responding to the latest claims from the NDP, Harrison repeated the $2.6 billion figure as he recommitted to the government’s current plan to extend coal generation.
“At the centre of our Energy Security Strategy is using Saskatchewan’s own resources of today as the bridge to using Saskatchewan’s uranium to power our province into tomorrow. That means extending the life of existing thermal assets, an investment of approximately $2.6 billion, while we build our nuclear power system for the future.”
The latest NDP-Sask. Party skirmish over the coal refurbishment issue comes just days before the Saskatchewan Rate Review Panel is due to give its response to SaskPower’s application for a 3.9 per cent rate increase in 2026 and another in 2027.
The rate review panel’s report to cabinet is due to be released on Aug. 28.
