Indigenous-led partnerships powering 2 new Sask. renewable energy projects

Aishwarya Dudha · CBC News

· Posted: May 02, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

Two caller renewable vigor projects are coming to south-central Saskatchewan, some done Indigenous-led partnerships.

The projects were announced Thursday astatine a quality league successful Regina with provincial officials, SaskPower and Indigenous leaders.

SaskPower awarded contracts for the 200-megawatt Rose Valley Wind Project, eastbound of Assiniboia, and the 100-megawatt Southern Springs Solar Project, southbound of Coronach.

The projects volition beryllium developed and tally by Potentia Renewables Inc. successful concern with the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) and Mistawasis Nêhiyawak First Nation.

The upwind task volition run nether a 30-year powerfulness acquisition statement (PPA), portion the star task volition tally nether a 25-year PPA.

M-Squared (M2) Renewables, a associated task betwixt MLTC and Mistawasis Nêhiyawak, volition clasp a 51 per cent involvement successful each task — making it the largest Indigenous ownership stock of immoderate utility-scale vigor inaugural successful Saskatchewan to date, according to a quality release.

The provincial authorities said the announcement reflects a broader committedness to economical reconciliation and supporting Indigenous information successful large infrastructure developments crossed the province.

"With these projects, our authorities and SaskPower are continuing to beforehand economical reconciliation and physique connected our beardown relationships with Saskatchewan's Indigenous communities,"  Jeremy Harrison, curate liable for SaskPower, said successful a quality release.

SaskPower said the 2 projects volition nutrient capable energy to powerfulness astir 125,000 homes, portion helping reduce emissions and support affordability.

"Southern Springs Solar and Rose Valley Wind volition not make emissions portion generating," Rupen Pandya, SaskPower President and CEO said.

Meadow Lake Tribal Council Chief Jeremy Norman said the projects are not lone astir delivering powerfulness — they're astir creating opportunity. He said the quality to ain and run vigor infrastructure brings meaningful information successful the provincial system and supports semipermanent goals of self-determination.

"To marque powerfulness from upwind to marque powerfulness from the sun, what creator has made, it's a no-brainer for us," Norman tribal said astatine the event. "To be 1 measurement person to bringing our kids much opportunity, tackling immoderate of the issues successful our community, that our radical face, it's a no-brainer."

Mistawasis Nêhiyawak Chief Daryl Watson besides welcomed the collaboration, calling it an illustration of reconciliation successful action. He said the economical interaction volition assistance the assemblage physique much-needed infrastructure.

"Now we're looking astatine expanding our lodging allocations, we're looking astatine gathering a hockey arena, we're looking astatine assemblage centres present that person ne'er been thought of before," Watson said.

The projects are expected to beryllium completed successful precocious 2027. Once operational, the caller facilities volition bring SaskPower's full upwind procreation capableness to 1,217 megawatts and star capableness to 318 megawatts.