SaskPower packs the room with contractors and suppliers, eager for work on coal refurbishments
The same day the legislative session wrapped up in Regina, with fiery rhetoric about how horrible it would be if Saskatchewan refurbished its coal-fired power plants, a seminar was held in Estevan for suppliers who were eager to work on that very project.
The World Turned Upside Down: Coal workers go to Legislature to take issue with NDP’s stance on coal
In the musical Hamilton, there’s part of a song that goes, “The World Turned Upside Down.” And one could be forgiven for thinking that, when it comes to politics, unions, and power generation in Saskatchewan.
In subsequent press scrums, 26 union members from two unions stood behind the SaskPower minister, but none stood behind NDP SaskPower critic.
NDP calls for apples-to-apples comparison, but when that’s done, their coal costs mirror the government’s
Usually when the public galleries of the legislature are filled with union members, it’s almost always because they’re not happy with the government. But on May 11, 26 union members and two mayors were there not to take issue with the government, but with the opposition.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers respond to NDP coal position: “A deliberate misrepresentation of costs”
It turns out if the NDP wants your job to disappear, they don’t get your support. Imagine that? As in, if they want your house to lose half or more of its value, you to lose your job, and would rather spend money on gas from Alberta or wind and solar, what would you think?
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Wait, isn’t this how it was done before?
Feds want pipeline projects reviewed by energy regulator instead of impact agency
Also
Pipeline company Enbridge unfazed by rival oil shipping projects
NDP say coal reburbs will cost $26 billion, but applying the same methodologies to their own plan comes up with similar numbers
IBEW 2067 reaction to NDP power plan: Come down to Estevan and Coronach and tell us about it
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party has been taking its “Grid and Growth Plan 2026” on the road, promoting their new electrical grid strategy in Prince Albert and Yorkton. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2067 would like to see them do the same in Estevan and Coronach, and see what reaction they get.
I’m sure a few hundred coal workers who would lose their jobs and possibly their homes would be happy to have that discussion.
Boundary Dam Unit 4 fired up on April 22, and it’s more significant than you might think
Up until now, the coal-fired power refurbishment may have seemed like a lot of talk. On Wednesday, April 22, it became real. And that’s significant for a number of reasons.
Not the least of which is it is in total defiance of federal coal regulations. Saskatchewan is giving Ottawa the bird.
Brian Zinchuk: LNG, the NDP’s electrical plan and Spaceballs
End of series on NDP’s electrical plan:
Digging deep on the NDP’s “Grid & Growth” plan for Saskatchewan’ electrical grid, Part 3: Wind, Solar, Storage, Transmission & Interties
Digging deep on the NDP’s “Grid & Growth” plan for Saskatchewan’ electrical grid, Part 4: Governance, Labour, Carbon Taxes & Rates
SaskPower minister responds to NDP Grid and Growth Plan
Also:
SaskPower and Bruce Power sign memorandum of understanding to inform Saskatchewan large reactor technology assessment
Frontier Centre for Public Policy: Lee Harding: Canada is losing billions by holding back its oil and gas industry
The Saskatchewan coal refurbishment plan, laid out by year until 2035.
This is the most detail I’ve seen so far, laying out expected cost per unit, and a year-by-year plan to rebuild them. And I go into some detail into how much cheaper this would be than building new natural gas-fired power plants. It’s a lot.
On coal refurbishments: NDP focus on cost, Sask Party focus on reliability
The Iran War is causing an energy crisis: Doomberg on Decouple and Soar Financially
Three in-depth pieces on coal-fired power today:
NDP say coal refurbishment will double electricity rates by 2050, prefer natural gas and renewables instead
NDP analysis of coal refurbishment and its impact on rates, in depth
SaskPower Minister responds to NDP study on refurbishing coal and its impact on rates
In cased you missed this major related story on Monday:
BREAKING: Data centre hinges on dispatchable baseload power, including coal refurbishment
I would like to point out that the Leader Post, CTV and CBC failed to mention, or perhaps even realize, that it will be coal powering that new data centre in Regina. Where did they think that power is going to come from? I know! Solar, at night!
BREAKING: Data centre hinges on dispatchable baseload power, including coal refurbishment. Without coal power, it’s unlikely this would be happening.
Also, I will be posting for tomorrow morning two in-depth stories on the NDP’s study into the impact of coal refurbishment on SaskPower rates.
What if your job, your mortgage, your ability to feed your kids hinged on a 12-year-old’s climate crusade?
Because yet again, for Saskatchewan coal workers, it does.
Oh, and two weeks ago, CBC gave that very kid an award for their activism, for this very case. And I use “they” for a reason.
BREAKING: Round two: Appeal filed on coal decision ruling.
At question: Do a 12 year old, a podcaster and someone who doesn’t even live here get to kill 1100 coal-related jobs? According the Court of King’s Bench, no, they don’t. Governments get to make those sorts of decisions, and can’t be second guessed by the courts.
Well, these applicants are taking a second round at second guessing.
Natural gas and coal kept Saskatchewan’s lights on during frigid weather. As in, nearly every furnace in this province saw its fan running as a result of natural gas and coal, right when we needed it most.
Also: Bronwyn Eyre inaugural recipient of new award for Canadian champions of freedom. She happens to be cohost of the Pipeline Online Podcast and a regular columnist.
Brian Crossman: Artificial Intelligence, the oilpatch, and John Wick’s dog.
And under the file of “I’ll believe it when I see it”: If elected, the Parti Québécois would not necessarily oppose new gas or oil pipelines
BREAKING: Coal injunction tossed; court says governments get to make environmental policy. In other words, the coal injunction is dead it its tracks. @SaskPower can rejuvenate its coal fleet. The decision is a rebuke of the trend of judge-made law and activist courts, clearly noting the supremacy of the legislative branch in making policy.
This is a huge decision on many points – not just on coal, but on putting activist judges in their place. It will be cited for a long time to come.
The pendulum just may be swinging back to sanity.
Also: NDP criticizes impending SaskPower rate hikes, minister responds
Michael Zwaagstra: Liberals being hypocritical on plastics ban.
And, since everyone is doing the whole year in review, here’s the biggest energy story in Saskatchewan for 2025:
Saskatchewan to rebuild its coal fleet, despite federal regulations calling for its demise
This was the biggest story in Saskatchewan’s energy sector in 2025, by a wide margin. Even the Premier agreed, when asked about it in December. Saskatchewan to rebuild its coal fleet, despite federal regulations calling for its demise. It’s my understanding we should see Boundary Dam Unit 4 returned to service soon in the new year. It was retired under the federal coal regulations, but continually brought back into service because, guess what, we needed it. About a year ago it was finally disconnected, only to be called back to service now.
Pipeline Online Podcast Ep. 24: Premier Scott Moe Year End
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe joins the Pipeline Online Podcast in his annual year-end interview. The discussion digs into the coal decision, Saskatchewan’s move into nuclear, carbon capture, interties to Alberta’s grid, and the Alberta-Canada MOU. The multilateral well program, oil production goals, Saskatchewan’s new energy and resources minister, lithium and hydrogen are also discussed.
Brian Zinchuk: If you’re serious, put your Grandma’s old folks home on the prioritized list to turn the lights off in January
Update: Honestly, I didn’t plan this. But 12 hours after I posted the column, this happened:
Alberta wind generation falls to 0.12% capacity late Wednesday night
This is one of the most significant announcements in years.
This plan, if followed, will dramatically reshape Saskatchewan. Nuclear may not be cheap or easy, but it is also transformative in many ways. And as many participants and executives during the conference noted these power stations could last up to 100 years, this really is a case of planting trees so one’s grandchildren can play in the shade.
That plan, in its entirety, is reproduced here on Pipeline Online.
That’s just a part of the in-depth coverage of the conference’s events provided by Pipeline Online. Check out, for instance, the opening question Pipeline Online posed during the scrum portion, and then look at the question asked by other media at 44:51, when another reporter asked, “Can you clarify what you mean of nuclear power sources? Does that mean a nuclear power plant in Saskatchewan?”
“Yes, that’s what we’re talking about here,” Harrison responded.
Remember, she was standing there for 45 minutes, listening to over half an hour of press conference and then 10 minutes of questions to then ask if all this meant a nuclear power plant in Saskatchewan?
You might notice me in the middle of the pack, doing a face-palm.
Where would you prefer to get your energy news?
