The federal government is investing more than $33 million to support the George Gordon First Nation in building one of Saskatchewan’s largest Indigenous-owned solar farms.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson announced the funding Tuesday for the Wicehtowak Solar Project, a 32-megawatt facility being developed through Wicehtowak Solar Ltd., the First Nation’s renewable energy company.
The project, to be located near Regina, will use bi-facial solar panels and is being funded through Ottawa’s Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program. Officials say it will not only add clean power to Saskatchewan’s grid but also serve as a model for Indigenous-led energy development in Canada.
“This project will deliver more energy to market, reduce costs for Canadians and businesses, and create Indigenous-led economic opportunities that bring prosperity to our country,” Hodgson said in a news release.
The project is also breaking new ground in Saskatchewan’s energy sector. Under a 30-year power purchase agreement, the facility will sell electricity indirectly to K+S Potash Canada through the SaskPower grid — the first such arrangement in the province.
Leaders say the agreement will support the mine’s long-term operations while ensuring stable demand for the new solar farm.