Swift Current residents had a chance to get information on a proposed natural gas fired combined cycle power generation plant at an open house Wednesday at the Credit Union iplex.
SaskPower is planning to build the facility to meet an expected increase in customer demand, and it could be located just northwest of the city. The Crown Utility purchased city-owned land and another privately-owned section north of their switching station, with one potentially being home to the plant if the project goes ahead.
The City had been making their case for bringing the facility here in anticipation of the jobs and industrial investment it could bring to the region, and most of the people attending the open house were supportive of the project.
"There will be a significant number of construction jobs and there will be quite a few permanent, full-time jobs following completion of the project," said Bernie Bolen, Manager of Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation for SaskPower. "One of the other benefits of having the project in place, is that it will give the Swift Current area a significant amount of good, reliable electricity, which helps attract other industries."
The open house provided information on the site selection process, an overview on natural gas power generation, and environmental considerations including air and noise pollution.
"Fortunately, with a natural gas facility, what we're seeing from the air modelling, this plant would very easily meet and actually exceed the minimum requirements for air emissions guidelines in Saskatchewan, so the air emissions from gas plants are relatively minor," Bolen added. "The plant will emit some noise, but there are noise models that have been done to determine what the noise levels would be. There are guidelines that SaskPower has adopted that we will commit to meet, and there are technological options to reduce the noise from the facility."
SaskPower is also considering a site near Lanigan for the plant, and a decision on where or if the project will go ahead is expected sometime in the next few years.
"Following the load growth trends in the province, our expectation would be about 2019 we would require this added generation near Swift Current," Bolen said. "The decision would likely need to be made in either late 2015 or early 2016, but it depends on what happens between now and then, load growth wise."
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