Sask. Party promises solar power, flare gas projects on First Nations

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall is promising to work with First Nations to develop some "clean energy" projects.

On Friday, Wall said if his government is re-elected, it will get to work on two proposals to generate a total of 40 megawatts of power.

Half of that would be a flare gas project involving the Flying Dust First Nation, located in the Meadow Lake area in the province's northwest.

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Flare gas is often burned off at oil and gas facilities, sending carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Under the proposal, some of that gas would be used to produce 20 megawatts of electricity.

The other half of the proposal concerns 20 megawatts of solar energy at First Nations that are yet to be determined.

Wall said the government and the First Nations Power Authority would work together on the deal.

There was no immediateword on how much government money would be going into the projects.

In a news release, the Sask. Party said the First Nations Power Authority is a non-profit corporation established in 2011 to help First Nations power producers in advancing power generation projects to SaskPower.

Broten says Wall's proposal doesn't measure up

Speaking in Saskatoon Friday, Saskatchewan NDP Leader Cam Broten responded to Wall's announcement saying itis something his party has been talking about and campaigning on already.

"I think the targets that are identified in this aren't large enough, they're not strong enough, and not ambitious enough, focusing just onsome components of energy," he said.

"It could be much broader, could be much bigger and providing bigger benefits to all Saskatchewan people, to the Saskatchewan economy, and making sure that we have better expansion into renewable energy."

The Saskatchewan NDP platform says it will legislate energy efficiency targets, starting with 300 megawatts by 2020.

Italso says it will enhance SaskPower's partnership with the First Nations Power Authority, andincrease opportunities for groups, communities and businesses to benefit from generating renewable power.