Op-Ed: Christina Turnbull: More Than Megawatts: A Power Worker’s View of Saskatchewan’s Coal Transition
Betting the wind will always blow, when it doesn’t.
NDP release Pembina Institute paper on costs of coal refurbishment, but the paper leaves out a lot of context. The report puts a lot of faith in wind and solar, but real world examples over the last two weeks bring that faith into doubt. Using the scenarios the Pembina Institute outlines in the report quoted by the NDP, on Aug. 12, Saskatchewan would have run out of batteries six times in 24 hours.
And just after I finished writing this at 2 a.m., I got an email alert that Alberta wind generation fell to less than 1 per cent output, again. But they have no use for baseload power. Good grief.
You know you were waiting for it
Pipeline Online Podcast is now on Spotify
Sometimes, when you’re a one man band, it’s hard to find time to play the trumpet while you’re also playing the tuba. And such, it has taken much longer than it should have to get the Pipeline Online Podcast connected with Spotify in such a way that included the video.
It only took about 20 hours to upload the back catalog.
Also:
The good professor wanted me to print a rebuttal. So I did.
Op-Ed: Brett Dolter: A rebuttal to coal analysis by Pipeline Online
and
Pembina Pipeline says West Coast pipeline stake fits into its broader strategy
How much? A zillion? Surely more than that!
NDP claim coal refurbishments will cost even more, while SaskPower minister tours Boundary Dam and Estevan mine
On a day when the Minister Responsible for SaskPower was touring the work done on the coal-fired Boundary Dam Power Station Unit 4 and the nearby Estevan coal mine, the Saskatchewan NDP was quoting another number, their highest yet, as an estimated cost of the coal refurbishments. But what are those numbers based on?
Pipeline Online digs into that analysis, and finds the scenarios each to have significant flaws.
Also:
Jim Warren: Why the biggest oil supply crisis in history hasn’t produced the highest crude prices in recent history
They said “this event is closed off to the media to allow for a fulsome conversation.” I went anyhow.
Pipeline Online attends NDP Grid and Growth town hall in Moose Jaw that media weren’t invited to.
And if I was to record the event, they asked that I leave.
In asking hard questions about the NDP’s numbers for the cost of natural gas fuel, no hard numbers were given in reply.
The project some don’t want draws lots of interest
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
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.
Brotherhood is not comrades with NDP these days
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
The big coal debate
NDP say coal reburbs will cost $26 billion, but applying the same methodologies to their own plan comes up with similar numbers
Come and say it to our faces
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.
Giving Ottawa the bird on coal
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.
LNG, NDP electrical plan and Spaceballs
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 coal plan
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.
An energy crisis is materializing around the world
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
Coal three ways – four, actually
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 coal power
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.
How would your stomach feel?
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.
One judicial smackdown apparently wasn’t enough …
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.
Keepin’ those lights on
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, judicial activism rebuked
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