The Government of Saskatchewan has denied an allegation from the NDP, claiming the province’s decision to extend coal power was made to help supply energy to the Bell AI data centre currently under construction near Regina. NDP Leader Carla Beck and MLA Brittany Senger made the claim at an event in Saskatoon Thursday. The Opposition provided a document submitted by SaskPower to Saskatchewan’s Rate Review Panel as proof of the claim. In the document, Beck pointed to a singular line, which states: “The decision to operate coal beyond its regulated end of life has allowed SaskPower to have supply available to accommodate the Bell data centre load.” SaskPower drafted the document in response to questions regarding its 3.9 per cent rate hike. “Scott Moe needs to remember that he doesn’t work for AI data companies. He is supposed to work for the people of Saskatchewan. Even though it clearly pains him to do anything in the interests of the people of this province, he owes the people honest answers to their questions,” said Beck. The Saskatchewan NDP has been critical of both the estimated costs surrounding the refurbishment of coal power and the data centre’s approval process. The cost of extending the life of Saskatchewan’s coal-fired power plants could total $26 billion over the course of the next quarter century. The NDP has called for the province to pivot away from coal and use the funds for more power generation from natural gas. Additionally, the Opposition has highlighted the lack of an environmental assessment for the data centre project. The province has noted assessments are not required for all projects, while also noting mitigation measures proposed by Bell for the project. In a statement to CTV News, the Minister Responsible for SaskPower, Jeremy Harrison, attacked the NDP’s claims, accusing the Opposition of misrepresenting the Crown’s response to the rate review panel. “Saskatchewan’s electricity system is planned to meet the needs of the entire province, not a single customer,” Harrison wrote. “We have consistently said that maintaining reliable baseload generation is essential to keeping Saskatchewan’s lights on while supporting population growth, industrial development and major investments. That position has never changed.” A government spokesperson confirmed to CTV News the decision to pursue life extension measures for coal power was made before the data centre project was approved. Construction at the site of the data centre, located south of the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Regina Campus in the RM of Sherwood, is well underway. In a statement to CTV News, a Bell spokesperson outlined soil piling had been completed at the site, with concrete pouring now underway. The 300-megawatt facility is projected to cost $1.7 billion to build and is estimated to generate up to $12 billion in long-term economic value. The first portion of the facility, dubbed a “data hall” is expected to become operational in the first half of 2027. CTV News is a division of Bell Media, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of BCE Inc.
