'Come get me': Premier defends Sask. coal power supply past 2030 despite federal law
CTV
On the last day of the spring sitting of the Saskatchewan Legislature, Premier Scott Moe defended his decision to push Saskatchewan’s net-zero targets to 2050, despite comments made by the federal environment minister.
On the last day of the spring sitting of the Saskatchewan Legislature, Premier Scott Moe defended his decision to push Saskatchewan’s net-zero emissions targets to 2050, despite comments made by the federal environment minister.
On Wednesday, federal environment minister Steven Guilbeault said it would be illegal for Saskatchewan to keep operating its coal-fired power plants past 2030.
Ottawa has ordered that coal fired power plants shut down, or implement carbon capture by the end of 2030. Eighty-one per cent of Saskatchewan's electrical supply is fossil fuel driven, and 41 per cent of that is coal.
Moe said the standard to meet federal emissions targets is not feasible.
"The federal government's standards for zero emissions electrical generation by 2035 are unrealistic and unaffordable," Moe said in a provincial news release on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters after question period on Thursday, Moe said his government is standing up for an affordable and reliable power supply in Saskatchewan.
“If where we’ve come to in this country is when individuals in this province or any other province flick their lights on or their furnace fan kicks in, that that’s deemed illegal and cause for someone to go to jail, come get me,” he said.
