Watson Lake expecting new solar project to reduce diesel by a million litres a year

A solar project now underway in Watson Lake, Yukon will help the community reduce its diesel use in what project leaders are calling one of the biggest solar panel projects in the North.

The Sādę Solar Initiative project is led by Kaska First Utilities, the development corporation for the Liard First Nation, and in partnership with ATCO electric.

The project is a joint investment of more than $28.6 million from the federal government, the Government of Yukon and First Kaska Utilities. 

Jasper Lamouelle, CEO of Kaska First Utilities, said they're building a five-megawatt solar farm — a 2.85MW solar plant combined with an energy storage system that will connect to the community's existing 2.9MW micogrid, currently powered by diesel generators. 

"We're eliminating about a million litres of diesel [annually]," Lamouelle said. "Right now we have about four or five diesel generators that run … we're going to be able to, once in service, be able to shut all the diesel generators for six months out of the summer season."

The plant, located within the asserted traditional territory of the Liard First Nation, will be brought online in two stages to maintain grid stability and manage power fluctuations. It will be 100 per cent owned by the Liard First Nation.

The First Nation held a ground breaking ceremony on June 17, and Lamouelle said the solar farm should be up and running by 2027. 

Yukon's MP Brendan Hanley said projects like this put the Yukon in a position of "climate leadership" and an example of what's possible for other jurisdictions across the territory, country, and world.

"There is such huge potential in harnessing renewable energy sources," Hanley said. "This is one of the types of projects that I think the federal government is so pleased to be able to support."

He said the project is an example of putting money into reconciliation.

"It's not only historic reconciliation but it's economic reconciliation."