Emissions

We’re changing the way we generate power to better protect the environment and move towards a cleaner energy future.

Your expectations and federal regulations on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to evolve. This means looking into more sustainable ways of generating power — like using renewable power sources.

Our Goal

We’re committed to reducing our GHG emissions by at least 50% from 2005 levels by 2030. Going even further, we’re working towards a future of net zero GHG emissions.

Our Path to 2030 provides a look at the projects helping us reach our emissions goals. These projects represent a remarkable achievement, especially during a global pandemic where supply chain issues, restrictions and overall uncertainty caused major challenges.

Why Reducing Emissions Matters

Emissions, including those from the generation of power, can impact:

• climate
• natural resources
• health

GHGs can last hundreds of years in the atmosphere. This is why it’s important for us to do what we can now. You can help by being efficient at your home and workplace. By using less power you’ll save money and help protect the environment.

For more information, check out Power Savings and Programs.

Our Emissions

Every year, we report our emissions to regulators, stakeholders, and in our Annual Report and Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report. We take into account emissions from power generated by our facilities and by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in the province. This also includes our emission intensity.

In 2021, our GHG emissions were 14.9 million tonnes CO₂e*. This is a 17% increase compared to 2020 and is 5% above 2005 levels.

The main reasons for higher emissions in 2021 include:

• a higher demand for power due to economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors like high summer temperatures
• low hydro generation availability due to dry conditions
• reduced carbon capture due to unplanned outages of our carbon capture facility at Boundary Dam Power Station
• delays in commissioning of renewable projects due to supply chain challenges

We also report our emission intensity, which is referenced in our Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report.

We remain on track to achieve our 2030 target to reduce GHG emissions by at least 50% from 2005 levels, despite the higher emission levels in 2021. We expect to see our emissions continually decreasing in the coming years as shown in the chart below.

*CO₂e stands for CO₂ equivalent. This is the standard measurement for reporting GHGs. The measure includes Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) emissions as well as the CO₂ equivalents for Methane (CH₄) and Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) emissions.

We’re Seeing Progress

We’re on our way to a cleaner, more reliable power future for the province of Saskatchewan.

We continue to reduce the use of conventional coal-fired generation and add renewable and low-emitting generation to our grid. Since 2021, we’ve added over 400 megawatts (MW) of renewable generation capacity to our power supply mix — with plans for more renewables in the future.

We’re also investing in our infrastructure. With a modern grid, we’ll be able to:

• support more solar and wind generation
• improve the reliability of our power service
• reduce our emissions.

Learn more about the projects we have on the go at Planning and Construction Projects.

We’ve been investing in a natural climate solution that removes CO₂ from the atmosphere – trees. Since our Shand Greenhouse opened in 1991, we’ve grown and distributed over 13.5 million tree and shrub seedlings across Saskatchewan. Seedlings are given to:

• rural landowners to establish shelter belts
• environmental groups to support habitat projects
• community groups to support cultural projects or activities

We estimate there are nearly 9 million trees and shrubs living today from these efforts. These trees and shrubs are able to remove more than 100,000 tonnes of CO2 each year. We continue to invest in the Shand Greenhouse to replace aging infrastructure and improve efficiency. Learn more about our Shand Greenhouse and eligibility for seedlings at Shand Greenhouse.

Moving towards 2030, we’ll continue to explore non- or low-emitting generation options and opportunities to offset our emissions, while meeting the growing need for power.