RSS feedSaskPower Eneraction is cooling down energy costs for municipal ice rinks
SaskPower Eneraction has introduced a Municipal Ice Rink Program aimed at reducing the power and heating costs associated with operating municipal ice rinks.
“The local rink is the heart of many communities, especially in rural Saskatchewan,” said Bill Boyd, Minister responsible for SaskPower. “This program will help municipal rinks operate in the most cost-effective manner possible, which will contribute to the long-term viability of our rural communities.”
Delivered in partnership with the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), the five-year program provides municipalities with a comprehensive energy assessment and retrofit service as well as assistance in accessing existing provincial and federal funding and grant programs. Depending on scope, energy efficient upgrades could reduce power and natural gas costs in a typical artificial ice rink by 15 to 40 per cent. This could save a typical rink $2,500 to $7,000 per year in utility costs.
“We’ve developed this program in response to requests from our municipal customers looking for help in reducing the overall cost of rink operations,” said Judy May, SaskPower vice-president, Customer Services. “In addition to lowering operating costs, energy efficient retrofits can also lower the cost of maintenance and reduce the overall impact of the facility on the environment.”
Participating facilities for the first year of the program will be selected by a steering committee, which includes representatives from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association (SPRA) and the provincial hockey and curling associations.
“We expect significant interest in this program from rink operators across the province,” May added. “The steering committee will ensure that our customers’ needs are clearly understood and represented.”
The Municipal Ice Rink Program is part of SaskPower Eneraction’s portfolio of demand side management and energy conservation programs. These programs will help SaskPower reduce the province’s electricity demand by 100 megawatts by 2017.
Municipalities wanting to participate in the program can express interest to SaskPower at saskpower.com/rinks.
