Work on SaskPower's newest addition to its generation fleet, Chinook Power Station, has begun. Site work started earlier this month on the 350 megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired power plant near Swift Current.

"We know that the people of Saskatchewan deserve and expect reliable power, and demand for that power continues to grow," said Premier Brad Wall. "The construction of Chinook Power Station is one way to ensure that our province has the power it needs today and well into the future. Once complete, Chinook will be capable of generating enough power for a city the size of Saskatoon."

Work officially began on the site after the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency concluded that an environmental assessment of the project was not needed, as the siting and impact of the facility satisfactorily met all requirements.

"This is an exciting time for SaskPower, and we're looking forward to seeing the progress as Chinook moves forward," said SaskPower President and CEO Mike Marsh. "We want to reinforce our commitment to keeping customers, landowners and potential suppliers informed as construction moves forward."

The design and construction of the combined-cycle plant will be managed by Burns & McDonnell Canada, an engineering, procurement and construction firm that was also involved in the 2015 expansion of the Queen Elizabeth Power Station in Saskatoon.

The estimated budget to build the Chinook Power Station will be approximately $680 million, and will provide up to 500 jobs during construction. It is expected about 25 workers will be needed to operate the plant once operational.

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At a glance...

• Work on Chinook Power Station site begins this month.
• Addition of gas-fired baseload power will support the addition of intermittent renewable power.
• 350 MW plant expected online in late 2019.