New figures from Saskatchewan’s electrical utility show it will cost about $1 billion a year to extend the life of the province’s coal plants.
The numbers, released in a document leaked to the Opposition NDP, show it will cost SaskPower $26 billion over 25 years until the province transitions to nuclear energy.
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The document says the costs include capital, operations, transmission and fuel.
NDP Leader Carla Beck has called the amount staggering, saying the Saskatchewan Party government could do away with the coal extension for cheaper alternatives.
She says for the same amount of money, Saskatchewan could build new natural gas plants or finance a small nuclear reactor.
Jeremy Harrison, the minister responsible for SaskPower, says it’s cheaper to extend the life of coal rather than build new gas plants.
Harrison announced last year the province was to keep coal until 2050, arguing the move ensures power remains reliable and secure.
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