An artist's depiction of the final appearance of the Saamis Solar Park is provided by DP Energy, which has approval from Alberta utility regulators to build the 1,600-acre solar array and power plant in northern Medicine Hat.--Supplied Image
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Reaction to the approval of the Saamis Solar Park in north Medicine Hat has been muted, thought the company behind the $400-million proposal says it is “delighted” the project has received the green light from utility regulators.
Ireland-based DP Energy began developing the plan to place solar arrays atop the capped phosphogypsum stack left over from the Westco Fertilizer plant in 2016.
This week, the Alberta Utility Commission approved an expanded footprint totalling 1,600 acres that would make the planned renewable power facility the largest in an urban centre, likely in North America.
That’s after objections about land use, staging development and its proximity to oil facilities were heard in an April hearing and after delays caused by last summer’s announcement that all renewable facility approvals would be paused.
“The solar park is a fantastic productive use of the land, that creates local jobs and contributes to Alberta’s emission reduction goals,” said Damien Bettles, head of Canadian development for DP Energy, in a statement to the News. “The approval marks a significant milestone for the project and a critical step as the project advances towards the start of construction.”
Bettles said the firm plans to actively engage stakeholders in the Hat about the project, but there is no immediate indication about construction plans or schedule.
The Alberta Utilities Commission approval includes an “in-service” date of late February 2027.
The company, based in Cork, Ireland, also owns portions of the Barlow and Deerfoot Solar Parks it developed in Calgary – also built on former tailings ponds – and a wind farm near Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. It is also developing an offshore wind farm in Nova Scotia, another wind project in conjunction with the Piapot First Nation (near Regina) in Saskatchewan and has developed projects in the U.K., Ireland and Australia.
Saamis, with a generating capacity of 325 megawatts in peak conditions, would be attached to the Alberta gird, not the City of Medicine Hat’s grid. At that size, expected production could offset 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually compared to gas-fired generation.
Saamis is the third site where concrete bases would be used rather than piles to avoid disturbing contamination left over from industrial use. That bars most forms of permanent development, and had been a key selling point of the company that states the facility would have a 30-year lifespan.
The owners of several adjacent parcels argued that the larger footprint, expanding east of Division Avenue, would block off development on their land until 2050.
A group of residents objected to a lower level of environmental consideration after the AUC determined the vast area should be considered to an urban standard.
At hearings, the commission found soil quality in the area was poor, but ordered DP to avoid stripping in some cases to protect areas of native vegetation.
“The Commission understands that the project will result in economic and social benefits to the Medicine Hat area, including the generation of renewable electricity, creation of jobs and revenue for Medicine Hat.”
A portion of the plan was redrawn in July 2023 to account for a ferruginous hawk’s nest, and DP was seeking a new hearing date in early August 2023 when Premier Danielle Smith announced a seven-month moratorium.
The AUC decision report states it is satisfied with the reclamation agreement between DP and landowner Viterra, which would see reclamation costs determined by a third party in year 20 of operation, then money set aside annually until planned decommissioning at year 30.
It is also subject to any new reclamation program or requirements brought in by the province, which is currently developing a regime.
