is the principal supplier of electricity in
Saskatchewan ,
Canada . Saskpower is a
Crown Corporation , owned by the
Government Of Saskatchewan , with 431,000-plus customers. Founded as the Saskatchewan Power Commission in 1929, SaskPower was set up in 1949. Over 150,000 kilometres of power lines are maintained throughout the Province. SaskPower supplies about three customers per circuit kilometre, while most utilities in North America average about 12 customers over the same distance.
The three core generating stations are coal fired. Boundary Dam, located near
Estevan , produces 813 megawatts from six units. Shand, also located near Estevan, is cited as a "New Generation" coal plant which produces less
Nitrogen Oxide and emits less
Fly Ash into the atmosphere. Shand produces 279 megawatts from one unit; but has future upgrade capacity to two units. The Poplar River Plant, near
Coronach is rated at 562 megawatts from two units, but frequently generates in excess of 600MW to the Saskatchewan electrical grid.
Additionally; Saskpower owns and operates
Hydroelectric power stations,
Natural Gas fired peaking stations, and
Wind Power facilty.
On an unusual historical note, the
Saskatchewan Railway Museum houses the one of a kind Sask Power Rail Car built in 1928 and last used in the early 1960s. The car was intended to be used as a portable emergency generator. The car is equipped with a 300 horse power diesel engine and AC generator.
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Facilities are located within Saskatchewan (with the exception of MRM). SaskPower either owns the facilities directly or through it's subsidiary SaskPower International. SaskPower International also has two joint ventures Cory (50% split with
ATCO Power ) and the MRM ( 30% SaskPower International Inc. and 70%
ATCO Power ). SunBridge is jointly owned by
Suncor and
Enbridge with SaskPower purchasing the power production.
