Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Rupen Pandya: Indigenous people key to Saskatchewan's energy future

Opinion by Rupen Pandya 

Rupen Pandya, SaskPower President and CEO speaks at a SaskPower press conference on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 in Regina.© Provided by Leader Post

2022 has been a big year. Since commissioning the Awasis and Pesâkâstêw Solar Facilities, these Indigenous-owned installations have been providing up to 20 megawatts (10 MW per facility) of clean, renewable power to Saskatchewan’s grid.

Both facilities were constructed through partnerships with First Nations owners, and these utility-scale projects are lighting a path forward on our journey of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

The First Nations Power Authority (FNPA) has played an important role in bringing these projects forward and has an agreement with SaskPower regarding opportunities for future flare-gas options.

At the grand opening of the Pesâkâstêw Solar Facility, the speakers emphasized “respect for Mother Earth” as core to traditional knowledge and Indigenous stewardship of the environment.

SaskPower believes that Indigenous partners can play a vital role in supporting the profound energy transition now underway in Saskatchewan and North America, as we move toward cleaner energy.

We need to reach a 50 per cent reduction in our carbon emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels, achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

This represents a tremendous opportunity for First Nations and Métis communities to help develop the plan, not just as consumers, but as producers of clean energy — sharing in the economic and social benefits of working together.

To get to that clean-energy future, we need to look at all the options available and make wise choices, mindful of future generations in Saskatchewan.

Wind, solar, natural gas, nuclear power and other technologies must all be considered, to ensure reliable and affordable electricity continues to flow, both day and night and in all seasons, to our homes and businesses.

SaskPower recently identified the Elbow and Estevan areas as study areas for a potential future small modular reactor. Identifying study regions early in the process — many years ahead of any decision to proceed — gives us time to consult Indigenous Rights holders in these areas.

We will seek meaningful engagement and dialogue concerning economic benefits, employment, procurement and other forms of project participation.

We recently hosted two virtual open houses on planning for nuclear power with more than 600 people registered.

Those attending heard a number of different perspectives from the municipality of Pickering, Ontario, (which is close to a nuclear plant in that province), the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, nuclear developer GE Hitachi, and much more.

I encourage everyone to go to engage.saskpower.com and sign up for a virtual session, take a short survey, ask a question and so much more.

This energy transition will require all of us to learn from each other in order to succeed.

It inspires us to see what walking together can look like — listening to each other, learning from each other and seeking mutually beneficial partnerships to protect people and the environment, while securing our energy future.

Working together, we can be confident that our future is bright.

Rupen Pandya is the president and CEO of SaskPower.


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