Natural gas, renewable power to replace Saskatchewan's aging coal-fired facilities

CALGARY, May 11, 2016 /CNW/ - The National Energy Board (NEB) today released its newest report: 'Canada's Energy Future 2016: Province and Territory Outlooks' that highlights the diversity of energy/electricity sources across Canada for both the production and consumption of energy, including crude oil, hydro, natural gas and solar power resources.

Between now and 2040, Saskatchewan will require a large amount of new electric capacity to meet annual growing demand and replace aging coal-fired facilities. This will be met most by new renewable and natural gas capacity.

In 2014, Saskatchewan became the first Canadian jurisdiction to open a commercial-scale coal-fired power plant equipped with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) capacity. Additional CCS capacity is expected to be added in the future.

While Saskatchewan remains the largest producer of conventional heavy oil, total crude oil production is expected to decline 16 per cent over the project period, unless crude prices rise significantly.

The report does not include the recent key climate change policy announcement made by various provinces as well as the federal government. An update to the national Energy Futures report will include an examination of these future policies and will be released later this year.

Associated Links:
Canada's Energy Future 2016: Province and Territory Outlooks 
http://www.neb-one.gc.ca/nrg/ntgrtd/ftr/2016pt/province-territory-infographics.zip

Quick Facts:

• The 'Canada's Energy Future 2016: Province and Territory Outlooks' report is the first time the NEB has published detailed information comparing and contrasting long-term energy outlooks across the provinces and territories.

• The type of energy used to generate electricity varies substantially between Canadian provinces and territories, based largely on their accessibility to resources and historical infrastructure development.

• For provinces with significant crude oil and natural gas production, prices, market fluctuations and infrastructure issues are all key determinants for future outlook.

• The types of energy consumed by Canadians varies widely across the country, due to the availability and pricing of different energy types. For example, provinces with large hydroelectric infrastructure like Quebec and Newfoundland & Labrador tend to use more electricity relative to Western provinces where natural gas is used in greater quantities. In the North, petroleum products like fuel oil and diesel are used more.

• The NEB consulted Canadian experts including environmental organizations, academics, provincial & territorial governments, industry and industry associations as the report was developed.

Quote:
"Canada's energy production and consumption picture is as vast and diverse as the country itself. Recognizing this diversity will be critical as we deal with current energy market uncertainties and begin to implement the policies and technologies that will transform Canada to a low-carbon future. The projections in this report serve as an important baseline for those discussions," Shelley Milutinovic, Chief Economist, National Energy Board.

The National Energy Board is an independent federal regulator of several parts of Canada's energy industry with the safety of Canadians and protection of the environment as its top priority. Its purpose is to regulate pipelines, energy development and trade in the Canadian public interest. For more information on the NEB and its mandate, please visit www.neb-one.gc.ca.

SOURCE National Energy Board

James Stevenson, Communications, National Energy Board, Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]