Montgomery solar project now set for completion in 2022

The City of Saskatoon is continuing plans to build a utility-scale solar power plant on a strip of land east of Montgomery Place, but the $3.5-million project is taking longer than anticipated.

Three years ago, city council set aside the 13 acres (five hectares) between Dundonald Avenue and Circle Drive as part of Saskatoon Light and Power’s broader goal to generate 10 per cent of its electricity from local and renewable sources. The city now wants a consultant to perform a feasibility study with the aim of having a recommendation go before council in the fall, said Jose Cheruvallath, Light and Power’s metering and sustainable electricity manager.

While the project was initially slated to begin operations this year, Cheruvallath said the aim — pending results of the study — is to begin implementation before the end of the year with completion in 2022.

Cheruvallath attributed the delay to the utility’s concentrating on other projects, such as the landfill gas collection and power generation plant and a proposed power plant at St. Paul’s Hospital. Dropping capital costs for solar panels also made it more economical to start work on the project later, rather than sooner, he said.

“We hope the study will help clarify the feasibility of the project and ensure proper due diligence is done prior to making further decisions,” Cheruvallath said.

“We’re using this as an opportunity to understand the economics of solar, and to really evaluate its viability in our current grid circumstances.”

Saskatoon Light and Power buys almost all its electricity in bulk from Saskpower. That electricity is then distributed to the city utility’s customers, largely composed of homes and businesses inside Circle Drive. Its grid draws about 200 megawatts (MW) at peak capacity, meaning the utility would have to generate around 20 megawatts to achieve the 10-per-cent goal. Cheruvallath said the utility is currently about one-quarter of the way there.

While the solar power plant initially proposed would have generated one megawatt, he said advances in technology and lower costs mean a development could be as large as three megawatts for the same price. The project is likely to be made up of ground-mounted panels.

Building small-scale renewable power plants creates a challenge for Saskatoon Light and Power, which must balance cost — Cheruvallath said its bulk electricity rate from Saskpower is “quite low” — against the city’s renewables targets.

“We want to ensure we are getting the best bang for our buck in terms of adding energy onto our grid, but also helping achieve other city targets and goals for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.”