Estevan has seen a sharp turn in its coal industry's future with the recent announcement that the province will be expanding Boundary Dam's power unit operational lifetime.
After meeting with the local workers, the province announced that they would seek to extend those units past their end of life.
Lori Carr, the MLA for Estevan-Big Muddy, talks about some expansions which is also being discussed.
"Our government has previously announced that Boundary Dam Unit 3 and Shand Power Station will continue to operate until the end of life regardless of any federal regulations that intrude on Saskatchewan's exclusive jurisdiction. But now SaskPower will be seriously examining whether to extend operational life of the other coal-fired units, primarily Boundary Dam Units 4, 5, and 6, as well as the two units of Popular River Power Station and Cornach."
This would mean keeping the jobs which work those power stations here in Estevan.
Carr mentions that the province is looking to take an "all-approaches" method to power generation, which means they will still pursue other power sources.
"We are still going to need more megawatts into the future. So this truly is, when I say all of the above approaches, is looking at that nuclear piece a few years down the road. Right now we're following Ontario and Ontario is a little bit behind schedule and a little bit over budget."
"So we need to be watching what they're doing and that was the plan the whole time and the licensing for and a decision on this will be made in about 2029. So by then, we'll see what Ontario has done, how it's working for them and how we can chart our path forward the most successful as possible, with the goal of getting to net zero we hope by 2050."
All of this power generation in the province could also be a boon economically as Saskatchewan would be able to sell that off thanks to a connection with our southern neighbours.
"The 650 MW transmission line that will go back and forth from Saskatchewan to North Dakota really is an opportunity for us if we have excess power, we will be able to sell it into that power pool in the United States, as well as coming the other way, if we find ourselves in a predicament where we don't have enough power to date, we've been very fortunate in Saskatchewan. We've been able to produce enough power, but it does provide that backup battery."