Saskatchewan approves $1.24 billion carbon capture project

Saskatchewan approves $1.24 billion carbon capture project - Canadian Environmental Protection

May 6, 2011 - The Government of Saskatchewan has approved construction of the Boundary Dam Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage Demonstration Project - among the first commercial-scale carbon capture and storage facilities in the world.

The $1.24 billion project will transform an aging generating unit at Boundary Dam Power Station near Estevan into a producer of reliable, clean electricity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately one million tonnes per year - the equivalent of taking more than 250,000 vehicles off Saskatchewan roads each year - in addition to capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) for enhanced oil recovery.

"SaskPower and its private-sector partners are leading the world in the development of a technology that will help to address climate change while ensuring that we can continue to use coal as an energy source for many years to come," Minister responsible for SaskPower Rob Norris said.

Norris also thanked the federal government for providing $240 million to assist in the development of the project.

"Saskatchewan has been at the forefront of innovation in the energy sector for years," Norris said. "Thanks to collaboration with Ottawa and private-sector partners, this SaskPower project builds upon our pioneering tradition."

According to Norris, the Boundary Dam project demonstrates SaskPower's commitment to the deployment of green technology as the company reinvests in infrastructure and expands its power production capacity.

"This project will forge an environmentally sustainable path for the production of coal-fired electricity in Saskatchewan," Norris said. "By proceeding with the carbon capture project at Boundary Dam, while continuing to add wind power and investigating other renewable energy options such as biomass, SaskPower is helping to build a greener future for Saskatchewan."