SaskPower to buy power generated at K+S Bethune potash mine

SaskPower will buy up to 62 megawatts from K+S Potash’s Bethune mine under an eight-year deal.

SaskPower has signed an agreement to purchase electricity generated at K+S Potash Canada’s Bethune mine, the Crown corporation announced Wednesday.

Under the deal, SaskPower will buy up to 62 megawatts of natural gas-generated power beginning in late 2026 through to the end of 2034.

K+S is expanding a combined heat and power facility at the site, located about 31 kilometres northeast of Moose Jaw, to include three natural gas turbines and heat recovery steam generators.

The cogeneration facility will supply power and steam for the mining operation, while also providing electricity to SaskPower.

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“This agreement is a win-win that will make additional reliable generation available to SaskPower while supporting the further development of our province’s world-leading potash industry,” said Jeremy Harrison, Saskatchewan’s minister responsible for SaskPower in a news release.

SaskPower president and CEO Rupen Pandya said partnerships with industry and independent power producers are key to maintaining reliable and affordable electricity as demand grows.

“Building and leveraging partnerships with industry and independent power producers is an important aspect of maintaining reliable and affordable power for all our customers,” he said in a news release.

K+S Potash Canada president Sam Farris said the project will help reduce the company’s greenhouse gas footprint, support potash production expansion and provide baseload power to the provincial grid.

The Bethune solution potash mine extracts crude salt that is processed into two types of potassium chloride.