Federal $2B contribution to Ontario nuclear project has major implications for Saskatchewan
Everything energy in the Saskatchewan Speech from the Throne
Getting the ball rolling
Danielle Smith says Alberta will be proponent for Pacific pipeline, for now. Here’s Pipeline Online’s deep dive, including Saskatchewan persepective.
Smith says Alberta will be proponent for Pacific pipeline, for now
Build Canada Now
Energy CEOs send another open letter to Carney, urging “Build Canada Now”. The list of signatories keeps getting longer…
On nuclear:
SIMSA to lead study to strengthen Saskatchewan’s nuclear supply chain
And for the masses:
Roughriders and Co-op partner to deliver “Community Zone” at Mosaic Stadium
Castles and Barbies
Michael Zwaagstra: Your home should be your castle
Oh, and it turns out Climate Change you-know-who has a book about her time in government. And it turns out the implementation of the carbon tax, and the home heating oil exemption, was not all it was cracked up to be. Who woulda thunk it?
That’s one way to lose an election
Brian Zinchuk: How messing with power pricing will get the Alberta UCP unelected in a few easy steps.
Some poor bastards, also known as the Alberta ratepayers and Alberta industry, get to pay those rates. And just as sometimes the wholesale price goes to $999.99 per megawatt-hour now, it will go to $2999.99 per megawatt-hour in 2032. And somebody has to pay that. If you live in Wild Rose country, that somebody will be you.
Oh, and the NDP point out, correctly, that oil prices are a lot lower than the Saskatchewan budget predicted.
Who needed power on Labour Day, anyhow?
Alberta wind power generation took a holiday on Labour Day
Throughout the day, wind output from the 1722 wind turbines (at last count) totalling 5,688 megawatts of total generation capacity hovered around the 1 per cent output mark, ranging from 1.9 to 0.8 per cent.
A “Dialectic on Energy Policy” with a former pipeline CEO vs. sustainable development exec
On July 27, the Midwest Legislators Conference in Saskatoon held a “Dialectic on Energy Policy,” essentially a debate on energy choices in a world focused on climate change. Hal Kvisle, former CEO of TransCanada Pipeline/TC Energy was on the right side of the debate and Louise Miltich came from the left.
Brian Zinchuk on Evan Bray Show: Multilaterals, coal revival, major projects and more
On Sept. 3, Evan Bray and Brian Zinchuk go over the growing impact of large multilateral wells, LNG, the new major projects office, Alberta electrical grid updates, coal revival and more.
Coal Injunction, Part 5: Saskatchewan Environmental Society and Citizens for Public Justice
The Coal Injunction, Part 5: Saskatchewan Environmental Society and Citizens for Public Justice, and the conclusion. #saskatchewan #coal
Coal Injunction Part 4: Manitoba activist farmer and Saskatoon environmental podcaster
The Coal Injunction, Part 4: Affidavits of a Manitoba activist farmer and a Saskatoon environmental podcaster
Okay, I can see the very much adult Saskatoon podcaster having some standing. She is at least and adult and in Saskathcewan, so likely uses power SaskPower produces. But if she lives in certain parts of the city, she could actually be a Saskatoon Light and Power customer.
The National Farmers Union activist farmer, on the other hand, is neither a Saskatchewan resident nor a SaskPower customer, unless he has a very long extension cord from east of Winnipeg to Moosomin.
Coal Injunction, Part 2: their arguments against coal
The Coal Injunction, Part 2: Arguments against continued coal use made in injunction filings
A 12-year-old child, a podcaster and a Manitoban as well as Saskatchewan Environmental Society and Citizens for Public Justice have filed for an injunction to stop Saskatchewan’s recently announced plants to rebuild its coal fleet in its tracks. In Part 1, the stage is set. In Part 2, Pipeline Online digs into the legal filing, known as the “orginating application,” itself, laying out their arguments to end coal-fired power generation for good.
What’s a hundred grand when we’re saving an non-existent EV industry?
Quick Dick McDick says the canola tariffs just cost his farm $100,000 overnight. Want to know what he thinks about that? That’s just ONE FARM, by the way. Just one.
Coal injunction:
I am working on a major five-part series to run next week on the efforts by some activists to use a court injunction to block Saskatchewan’s coal revival efforts before it even gets going. Among them is a Greta Mark II, a 12-year-old non-binary child who has been in the headlines at age 10 for the pronoun issue, then at age 11 for skipping school because of climate anxiety. Another doesn’t even live in Saskatchewan. You can’t make this up. As a prelude to that series, read Bronwyn Eyre’s column on judicial activism and lawfare. It ties directly into this coal injunction nonsense and is a good primer for what’s to come.
Podcast on Sask NDP’s take on coal, minister response
Pipeline Online Podcast: Aleana Young Ep. 15: Would the Sask NDP reverse the coal decision? And what about nuclear?
It was a pretty lively and interesting podcast.
And here’s the minister’s response to this text story: Coal Revival: Would the NDP reverse the coal decision? And why are they now big on nuclear power?
Minister’s comments:
Coal Revival: Harrison says NDP will shut down coal plants immediately if they were to form government.
Would Sask NDP reverse coal decision?
The biggest threat to a major policy announcement is a change in government that then completely reverses that decision. So on that basis, I spoke to the Saskatchewan NPD and asked:
Coal Revival: Would the Saskatchewan NDP reverse the coal decision? And why are they now big on nuclear power?
Consequences
Jim Warren: Elections Have Consequences. Think pipelines.
Hudson Bay oil shipping?
Digging deep into the talk about shipping oil from Hudson Bay/James Bay and this week’s announcements
Can we be serious?
Brian Zinchuk: Let’s get serious about shipping oil from Hudson Bay
“We are over the top happy”
Coal Revival: RM of Estevan Reeve Jason LeBlanc gave a speech in the snow on Parliament hill in support of coal, now it has been saved.
Coal Revival: Revisiting Jason LeBlanc’s 2019 speech on Parliament Hill in support of coal and against the carbon tax
Coal Revival: RM of Estevan lauds practical and common-sense decision
I should note that Jason LeBlanc is VERY well known in the Saskatchewan farming community from his many years as an auctioneer. In 2019 when former Sask NDP Leader Ryan Meili disparaged LeBlanc for that very speech from the relative safety of in the legislature, registrations for the protest truck convoy heading to Regina in the next few days doubled overnight. The phone rang off the hook. Over 800 trucks showed up a few days later for that rally.
First good sleep in years
Coal Revival: “I’m going to stay,” one coal worker told IBEW. This is one union that is over the moon with the right wing government that just saved their industry and jobs.
More formal letter of support from IBEW:
Coal Revival: IBEW says coal announcement will ‘have a meaningful impact on the lives of our members and their families’
Part 5 of Upgrader series:
Regina Refinery at 90 and Devine’s Upgraders, Part 5: Were the Regina and Lloydminster upgraders worth it? The two upgraders’ massive impact on provincial revenue
Pick up your jaws…
Here’s a union supporting a right-wing government’s move to rebuild its coal fleet. It has everything to do with the left wing wants their industry to disappear, and the SaskParty is moving to keep it going for decades to come. Interesting, that. As in the musical Hamilton – The World Turned Upside Down.
“Saskatchewan’s leadership in asserting provincial jurisdiction over its energy future deserves recognition. While the federal mandate to phase out coal-fired electricity by 2030 posed existential threats to entire communities, this new direction offers hope and continuity.”
I’ll have a more in-depth interview with the union in coming days, as well as a similar story from the other union involved, and a similar tale.
Also, in my series on the upgraders:
Regina Refinery at 90 and Devine’s Upgraders Part 3: The Lloydminster Bi-Provincial Upgrader doubled the city in size
Minister explains why SK is rebuilding its coal fleet
Saskatchewan is rebuildings its coal fleet. Here’s a chance to hear from Crown Investments Corp and SaskPower Minister Jeremy Harrison explain how this came about. It’s the biggest energy decision in 10 years. If you work in the coal industry in take time this weekend to watch/listen.
Devine built those upgraders while he had the chance
Regina Refinery at 90 and Devine’s Upgraders, Part 2: Grant Devine’s motivation to build upgraders while they had the chance.
Also:
Alberta power reserves falls to zero late Tuesday afternoon