wiredInUSA July 2016

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SaskPower is asking for two rate increases

Price of power

Canada’s SaskPower is asking for two rate increases: five percent this summer and a further five percent in January. President of SaskWind, James Glennie, said a report from Canada’s parliamentary budget office shows carbon capture technology will double the price of power generated from the project.

The minister responsible for SaskPower, Bill Boyd, said: “It’s something that I think the people of Saskatchewan are aware of. They know very well that the cost of mitigation in these areas is expensive. The cost of any kindof other alternative sources of energy are going to be expensive as well.” SaskPower is working to add more wind and solar projects to the province’s power generation fleet, while the government has promised that by 2030, half of its power will come from renewable sources.

SaskPower’s wholesale cost of power is around $60 per megawatt hour.

The report pegs the cost of removing carbon dioxide through carbon capture at Boundary Dam Unit 3 at about the same price. “So essentially, what the report is saying, is if you… add on $60 a megawatt hour for carbon capture, that is effectively doubling the wholesale price of power,” Mr Glennie said.

wiredInUSA - July 2016

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