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Feds to purchase only “clean electricity” in Alberta and Saskatchewan

February 10, 2023 | By Anthony Capkun



February 10, 2023 – The Government of Canada announced two initiatives in Alberta and Saskatchewan that, according to Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), support its commitment to investing in renewable energy and achieving the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

PSPC has awarded Capital Power a 23-year contract valued up to $500 million to power federal buildings in Alberta with “green” electricity effective January 1, 2023. The contract value is based on an estimated 250,000 MWh of annual electricity required by federal facilities in the province.

This electricity will be attributed to a new proposed wind energy generation facility in Alberta, expected to be operational by January 1, 2025. As part of the agreement, Capital Power will secure an equity partnership with local Indigenous organizations related to the project.

PSPC also signed an agreement with SaskPower to power federal government operations in Saskatchewan using renewable electricity, which totals about 87,000 MWh of electricity per year.

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Up to 25% of the federal government’s electricity consumption will be attributed to new solar projects within the province, which began operating in summer 2022. The remaining 75% will come from a new Saskatchewan-based wind energy-generation project expected to be operational by 2024.

These projects include opportunities for Indigenous participation through facility development partnerships and/or employment and training opportunities.

“Collaborative agreements like this support our collective net-zero goals, provide opportunities to meaningfully engage Indigenous communities, and help advance the development of renewable power generation facilities,” said Capital Power’s Chris Kopecky.

PSPC says Canada is also developing a procurement strategy to buy the equivalent of 128,000 MWh per year-worth of new clean energy generation in Canada, which would enable the federal government to attribute its energy consumption as being clean in regions where new clean renewable sources are not yet available.


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