Why is solar being explored?

The proposed Saamis Solar Park lies on 1,600 acres in the City’s north and is considered a productive use of vacant contaminated lands from the former Westco Fertilizer plant and property not yet ready for longer term urban/residential development. Medicine Hat is suited for solar electricity generation given its abundant solar resource.

Rochelle Pancoast, Managing Director of Energy, Land and Environment with the City of Medicine Hat, clarifies that the City is not immediately building a solar farm. “Any decision on investing in new generation assets is subject to Council approval. Today, we've only acquired the opportunity, and all the associated approvals and engineering that have taken place thus far.”

If feasible, the City intends to construct the project in phases to accommodate affordability, manage grid congestion, consider stakeholder needs, and acquire learnings before proceeding to the next phase. The project will diversify the City’s current 299 MW gas-fired electric generation portfolio by adding large-scale renewable energy into the mix.

The City remains fully committed to our gas fired generation assets, which offer a high degree of 24x7 reliability, for as long as they (1) remain compliant with provincial and federal regulations and (2) remain economically viable. Renewable energy at the intended first phase Saamis Solar volume (<75MW) will be complementary to our gas-fired fleet and not a substitute.